Jac & Jil
by wiggles247
Summary: This is a multi-shot involving Jac and Jonny trying to explain a bit more about Jac's background from a slightly different angle.
1. Cagey - isn't that her middle name?

_Friday, 16.17. Nurse's Station, Darwin_

Jac studied the computer screen intently – was that something on the CT scan or not. She dipped her head to the side to have a look from a different angle, but that didn't help – she was going to have to ask Elliott for a second opinion

"So what time you coming over tonight?" a voice said right next to her ear. Jac who had been concentrating hadn't noticed Jonny sitting down behind her and startled, reacted spinning her chair to face the direction of the voice:

"Jesus, Jonny – are you trying to give me a heart attack!" Then her brain caught up with her ears, and confusion flooded her porcelain-like features, "Tonight? What?"

Jonny, looked around to check nobody else could hear, in case that was the reason Jac looked so put out, and when he saw that the coast was clear repeated "I said, what time are you coming round tonight? I thought I'd cook something nice, we could watch a film and then" and he leaned in conspiratorially and winked, "set off some sexual fireworks. So what do you think?"

"As appealing as that sounds" Jac said, managing to sound as though it was as appealing as a root canal without an anaesthetic "I can't – I have plans this weekend"

"But you're not workin'" Jonny objected "I checked the on-call rota"

"I didn't say I was working – I said I had plans. Contrary to popular belief I DO have a life outside of work, and this weekend I'm busy"

"Busy with what?"

"Were you not listening – I'm busy with my life"

"What does that mean?" Jonny was getting annoyed, and if he was honest, a little bit worried too – if she wouldn't tell him what she was doing, it had to be something he wouldn't like, which must mean she was seeing someone else.

"What's it to you – since when have we been joined at the hip?" Jac was also more than a little annoyed by now. "When I need someone to keep my diary for me you'll be the first person I ask –satisfied?"

"Not really no," Jonny said, reaching out to hold her wrist. Jac had to use every ounce of her reserve not to pull her hand away to break the hold, instead relying on her best ice-queen stare to get him to let go. But before the impasse could be broken her bleep went off, and Jonny released his grip to let her look at it.

"Oh great, AAU" Jac said "I'm never going to get out of this place!" and standing up, she pushed past Jonny's chair and stalked off the ward. Leaving Jonny in a foul mood, a fact that didn't escape Mo when she came to write some notes at the nurses station:

"Look at the face on you" she commented "What's the matter?"

"I don't want to talk about it!" Jonny replied

"Oh right…what's she done now?"

"I said I don't want to talk about it!" Jonny insisted, "Do you never listen woman?"

"I always listen, well nearly always anyway, and that's how I know you need to tell your Auntie Maureen everything. Come on, you know you'll feel better when you do"

So Jonny told her, and when he'd finished asked her the question she'd been dreading pretty much since he started – "So…what d'you think?"

"Honestly?" Jonny nodded. "I don't know, but….sorry I think she's got someone else. What other reason could there for her to be so cagey, although, then again," Mo paused, considering "this is Jac Naylor – cagey's nearly her middle name"


	2. Little witch!

_Friday 17.32. Staff Locker Room, Darwin. _

Jac exited the locker room carrying her helmet, thank goodness the AAU consult had been straightforward, although she could have done without it – she was going to catch the rush hour traffic now. Still, at least Elliott had agreed that Mrs Petrey's CT was inconclusive – she'd need an MRI scan in the morning, but that wasn't her problem anymore. It was the weekend and, Jac smiled, it was going to be a good one! The only cloud on the horizon was Jonny – she knew she'd over-reacted but she hated feeling like she was being checked up on and, really it was none of his business what she did. Well maybe not _none_ of his business, but definitely more hers than his – it wasn't even as if she had anything to hide, but it was the principle. They WEREN'T joined at the hip and she wasn't going to tell him every detail of her life just because he was put out that she hadn't gone weak at the knees at the thought of spending an evening with him. Although, she had been a little bit harsh – maybe she'd send him a text – wish him a good weekend or something.

_Friday, 17.34. Main Reception._

"Oh for God sake Jonny, snap out of it" Mo ordered, as they exited the lift "if you're going to be this miserable all evening I'm going home now!" He obviously had it bad for Jac – she hadn't seen him like this for ages, but really what _did_ he expect? If he would go falling for someone who seemed to be made of permafrost, he'd just have to like it or lump it when she did things that were totally **in** character, and quite honestly, she couldn't see him lumping it any time soon. "You need to grow a pair – next time you see her just ask her where she was, and say you're not going to leave her alone till she tells you."

"And what if she does, and it's something I'd rather not hear?" Jonny, asked plaintively, stopping just before the main exit,

Oh God, he'd _really_ got it bad. "Well" said Mo, her tone softening, "at least you'd know!"

"And then what?"

"Well then, I mean…" Mo struggled to find the right words, and finally gave up "I don't know..but, but". Mo was interrupted by the buzzing of Jonny's phone – he had a text, 'saved by the bell' she thought wryly.

He took out his phone, "It's from her" he said, looking even more worried

"Well, come on then, read it." Mo ordered, once again back to her bossy best. Jonny took a deep breath and pressed a button on his phone, in that split second before the text appeared he looked like he was about to face a firing squad. Mo saw him visibly relax as he read the message, "So, what's it say" she demanded. Jonny handed her the phone.

_Just leaving. Have a great weekend. Jac_

"That's it, seven words!" but Jonny didn't seem to hear, or was purposely ignoring her.

"I'm going to wait" he announced, "say goodbye properly." Seeing the sceptical look on Mo's face he continued, "It says she's just leaving, so it won't be long…" Mo was just about to say it wasn't the time factor she was worried about, when from the corner of her eye she saw the lift doors open and Jac come out, wearing her biking leathers and carrying her helmet. She also saw the fraction of a second's hesitation before Jac walked towards the door, when she noticed them waiting there. Jonny had also seen Jac by now, and said "Wait here" to Mo, before joining Jac as she exited the building through the automatic doors. Mo watched as they walked over to Jac's motorbike.

Jonny broke the awkward silence "Thanks for the text" he began.

"It's OK," Jac replied, "look about tonight – if I didn't already have plans…"

"I know, I know – you'd be right there." Jonny said.

"Yep," Jac said simply

"You're not one to turn down a fireworks show after all" Jonny replied, pushing his luck. **No reply! **Oh no, he'd gone too far! Anxiously, he tried to see her facial expression, this proved difficult as she seemed to be deliberately turning away from him. Oh no, now he'd done it – why couldn't he ever just keep his big mouth shut – stupid, stupid, stupid! Self-recriminations filled Jonny's mind as they walked for the final few seconds to Jac's bike. She turned to him again after putting her helmet down on the back of her bike, and he saw the shadow of a smile. Little witch! She'd been playing him – making him think she was annoyed when actually she was amused. The smile she'd been supressing turned into a full-on beam as she realised that he knew what she'd been doing. And Jonny, who was too relieved to be annoyed, let her have that small victory and smiled back.

"Right," Jac said, all business like again, turning back to her bike and transferring her bag from her shoulder to the compartment under the seat, "I'll see you Monday"

"Monday, yes right," Jonny replied, "about the wee.." but, as if to pre-empt his question, Jac turned back towards him and kissed him gently on the lips, and after breaking this union repeated,

"I'll see you on Monday!" in a tone which left no shadow of a doubt that the conversation had ended as far as she was concerned. As if to emphasise the point she turned back to her bike and picked up her helmet

"Right yes, well ride carefully" Jonny said

"I always do" Jac replied, which wasn't strictly true, but she had no intention of doing anything stupid tonight – she was sooo looking forward to this weekend. And with that, she gave Jonny another kiss, which as she'd planned he again wasn't expecting, smiled and put her helmet on. Jonny could tell she was still smiling as she climbed on to the bike and started the engine. Then she put the visor down and in a vortex of noise and swirling detritus, and with the briefest wave of her hand, was gone…..


	3. Trouble in paradise?

_Monday, 08.51. Nurse's Station, Darwin_.

The ward doors opened, Jonny raised his head immediately to see who it was, just Louisa with a pile of patient notes. 'So much for the paperless ward' Jonny thought bitterly. His head dropped again, and he began to drum his fingers on the desk again. "For pity's sake will you stop doing that" Mo snapped, "it's driving me mad, AND it is NOT going to make her arrive any sooner" she added.

"It's alright for you," Jonny said, who hadn't had a good weekend at all. He'd had one text from Jac on Friday evening, _'Arrived safely. See you Mon. Jac_', and then nothing. Not so much as a peep for the rest of the weekend. Six words, six words that was all she could spare him in over 48 hours. Still he supposed it showed what she thought of him – NOT MUCH!

"No it's not" Mo objected, "I've had to put up with you mooning about like a lovesick teenager all weekend, and now I have to look at _that _face until a woman I'm not sure I even like, and who, whatever you say, _I_ think has been cheating on you comes back to put you out of your misery. It is most definitely NOT alright for me!"

"Trouble in paradise?" a familiar voice asked. Mo and Jonny had been so engrossed in their 'discussion' that they hadn't noticed Jac arriving on the ward, but there she was – bike leathers on and helmet in hand, eyebrows raised and smiling that slightly sarcastic, quizzical smile they both knew so well. 'Oh god' Mo thought, what had she heard? 'Please not that bit about her thinking she was cheating on Jonny, or even worse the bit about her not being sure whether she liked her.' "Well?" Jac made that one word sound like a Gestapo interrogation, "Oh never mind, I don't have time for your petty squabbles anyway. Speaking of which, sorry I'm, well, not exactly late but not as early as I normally am – traffic was murder today. Still that's where having the bike comes in handy," she said, raising the helmet in her hand slightly, "you know how good it feels zipping past all those smug businessmen in their Jags and Mercs when the motorways at a standstill. Well actually I don't suppose you do but it's…."

"Motorway?" Jonny asked confused. What was she doing on the motorway this morning?

"Yep, M4. There was an accident just past Reading , a bump really, nobody hurt as far as I could tell but it shut two lanes and caused well - chaos."

"Right, yeah." Jonny was still reeling from the news. She'd been on the M4 this morning – that went to London didn't it? What was she doing in London?

"So, how was your weekend" Mo interrupted, if Jonny wasn't going to find out the truth, she sure as hell was going to try!

"It was lovely, thanks"

"What did you do," Mo was nothing if not persistent.

"Went to stay with an old friend" Jac said smiling.

'She's smiling!' Mo thought and not one of her normal Jac smiles either, this looked genuine – like she was actually happy. 'She's definitely up to something' Mo decided 'if she's messing Jonny around..'

"Ooh" Jac said, turning to Jonny, "did you get my text." He nodded, still too stunned to speak. "Oh good, I was worried you might not have done. My phone's been playing up all weekend, think I'm going to have to take it back. One more thing to add to my achingly long 'to do' list I suppose, speaking of which best get changed and start ticking things off it." And with that, she turned and walked off to the locker room. Despite his feelings, as she did so Jonny couldn't stop himself thinking 'Man, she looks hot in those leathers'. And, after further consideration 'but then again she'd look hot in a black bin bag,

"Earth to Jonny," Mo waved her hand in front of Jonny's face and broke his reverie – he moved his gaze from where he'd last seen Jac and looked at her. "Well what d'ya think?" Mo asked.

"Think about what?" Mo was expecting him to think!

"What Jac said. Where she's been. If you believe her." Mo said, a trace of annoyance in her voice, "For pity's sake Jonny, what do you think I'm talking about."

Jonny, who was still trying to get a picture of Jac out of her leathers, out of his head, hadn't had a chance to marshall his thoughts and said, defeated "I don't know, what do you think?"

"She's lying" Mo answered definitely, "she's got to be! I mean – old friend, come off it, we all know Jac hasn't got _any_ friends, let alone any old ones."

"Hey," Jonny said, springing automatically to his girlfriend's (her words!) defence, "come on now, that's not fair!"

"And as for all that tosh about her phone not working" Mo continued, undaunted, "that's just far too convenient for my liking."

"But it could be true" Jonny persisted.

"Yes, and Hanssen _could_ have been a go-go dancer in the Folies Bergere before he started here, but it's not very likely is it. For god sake, Jonny Mac, open your eyes and smell the coffee – she's been on a dirty weekend with someone, someone who isn't you! And I want to know what you're going to do about it?"

"What do you suggest I do about it?" Jonny asked, their whispered conversation, increasing ever so slightly in volume, "Seeing as you seem to be such an expert on my relationship, what brilliant suggestion do you have as to how I should proceed."

"You have to get her to tell you the truth" Mo said

"Oh yes, brilliant idea" Jonny replied, the sarcasm pouring out with every word, "and how do you propose I do that – water board her?"

"No, just ask her!" Mo said simply.

"Oh yes, cos that'll work"

"Look Jonny Mac, like I said on Friday, you're just going to have to grow a pair and tell her that you're not going to take no for an answer, that you need to know where she was and who she was with over the weekend"

"Are you trying to make it impossible for me to have children?" Jonny exclaimed, "she'd have me castrated if I said that to her. No, actually, she'd castrate me herself….. And, if I did say that to her then she'd think I didn't trust her,"0

"But you don't" Mo exclaimed, angrily.

"No, **you** don't" Jonny retorted.

"Wow, two arguments in one morning" a voice interrupted them, "hope there's nothing in the air!" They both turned towards the sound – Jac was standing there with _that_ smile on her face again, looking even sexier to Jonny in her scrubs than she had in her leathers, if that were possible . How did she do that? Maybe those stories about her having ninja training weren't just urban legends. "Come on you two – I need you to play nicely today, my 'to-do' list is too long already without having to add 'acting as referee' to it. Speaking of which, what've I missed – anything interesting come in over the weekend? Ooh, actually hold that thought – I just need a minute." Jac took her phone out of the pocket of her scrubs and turned away from them, pressing buttons as she did so.

Mo nudged Jonny and mouthed "See, I told you", then wished she hadn't when she saw the look on his face. Her attempts to offer some kind of comfort were interrupted by a cry of frustration from Jac, quickly followed by "Stupid bloomin thing", and she looked up to see Jac shoving the phone back into her pocket. "Phone" Jac said, pointing towards the desk, they both looked at her confused. "Will one of you please pass me the phone" Jac explained.

"Oh right yeah" Jonny had recovered quickest, and picked up the phone from the desk and put it on the shelf in front of Jac. Mo stole a look at his face – relieved, he was definitely relieved! Jonny meanwhile was watching intently as Jac dialled the number, 9 for an outside line then 020 something,7, 8? He couldn't tell, but it was definitely a London number, well, that narrowed it down then - just the 5 million or so households to worry about! He watched Jac's face as she waited for an answer on the other end, she'd turned away but he could still see her side profile – God she was beautiful. He saw her expression change as the call was answered, saw a smile form on her lips, but he couldn't hear who it was on the other end of the phone. "Hey, its me" she said. "You weren't worried were you – there was an accident on the M4, so I've not long got here…Oh good, I thought you probably would have…I know. Well I'd better be quick, I'm using a work phone.…No it's still playing up – reckon I'm going to need a replacement….Tell me about it – like I don't have enough to do saving people's lives on a daily basis….Right OK, well I just wanted to let you know I hadn't killed myself… Some hope! But you know I love you right?"….

Jonny's heart dropped like a stone, and he stole a look at Mo, who was also trying to earwig whilst appearing not to, feigning great interest in the bottom of her hair so she could bend down closer to where Jac was standing. She had _that_ look on her face – the one she reserved for lame ducks and hopeless cases – he hated that look! And Jac had told the truth about her phone not working and surely if she was seeing somebody else **even Jac** wouldn't just admit that she loved him in front of her other boyfriend, would she?

Jac who was oblivious to the emotionally charged but silent furore her last comment had caused finished off her call. "Ok, I'll see you soon, bye", and turned back towards them, replacing the receiver in its cradle as she did so. "Right," she said, "have you two kissed and made up yet?" and without waiting for an answer, continued. "Chop, chop, we've got work to do and ward rounds wait for no-one".

And with that she sailed off towards Bay 1. Jonny and Mo both stood there for a second, gazing after her, not speaking. Mo wasn't sure what to say, if, in fact, she should say anything, and Jonny didn't even know what to think, let alone say! "Are you two coming or not?" Jac re-appeared from Bay 1 "for goodness sake" she said "sick people" pointing in the general direction of the ward "need to be cured, it's what we get paid for. Come on, I have things to cross off my 'to-do' list and you two aren't helping!"

Mo moved first, looking at Jonny with her 'lame duck' face she squeezed his shoulder as she walked past, trying to offer him some sort of comfort. Then a few moments later Jonny too roused himself, still not sure what to think but aware that he'd have to figure it out later…Miss Naylor had spoken, and what she said went, on the ward if nowhere else.

These chapters have mainly been to set the scene, I promise there will be more about Jac's background in the next few chapters.

Thanks for all the lovely reviews, it's nice to know someone is enjoying my efforts. Please keep them coming!


	4. Not like her

_Friday, 08.47. Staff room, Darwin._

Jonny searched for a clean cup on the draining board. Honestly, who put dirty cups upside down on a draining board! He could see they were going to have to re-visit the washing-up rota. Or maybe he could swing a dishwasher from Mr Hanssen – he seemed to be spending money like it was going out of fashion so why not something for the staff for a change. There had to be some angle he could use – infection control, decrease in staff sickness through reduction of cross-contamination, increased ward efficien… His machinations were interrupted by Oliver who popped his head around the door , and asked "Have you seen Miss Naylor this morning?" Jonny shook his head. "Oh, it's not like her _not_ to be in at this time is it?" Jonny shrugged, quite frankly that was the least of his worries when it came to Jac's behaviour over the past week. "If you do see her before I do" Oliver interrupted his train of thoughts again, "can you let her know that Mr Hatter wants a word with her when she's got a minute. I don't know what about – he wouldn't tell me, wants to speak to the 'person in charge of his care not an underling' so he said". Jonny nodded,

"I'll tell her"

"OK – thanks" Oliver said and left. Jonny went on with his seemingly fruitless search for a clean cup, all thoughts of dishwashers banished from his mind, now Oliver had reminded him of just how….. weird Jac had been recently. No, not recently he corrected himself, just this week – since **that** weekend. I mean, it was nothing major, he wasn't even sure anyone else had even noticed, but she'd definitely not been very Miss Naylor-ish this week. She'd hardly had a go at anyone, not even Louisa when she'd mixed up the labelling on the blood samples, and they'd all had to be done again; she'd given Tara some positive feedback ('Nice call') when she'd diagnosed someone with aortic stenosis; and he could have sworn he'd heard her humming to herself when she was writing up her notes at the nurse's station on Tuesday, I mean Jac Naylor humming! But it wasn't just on the ward, she'd been weird with him too – softer somehow; less, he couldn't think of the right word, less urgent maybe, more relaxed. I mean take Wednesday morning for example, she hadn't even mentioned him waiting in the car till she got in to the hospital, had just got out of his car and walked off. He was so surprised by this omission that he had actually just sat there for a little while, and had to run to catch her up, managing to do this just as she went through the automatic doors of the main entrance. And as for yesterday, he was _still_ trying to get his head around that. They'd arranged one of their 'linen cupboard sessions', and it was great but _something_ was different, normally it was like she **had to have him** right there and then, but yesterday she'd seemed much more controlled, calmer somehow.

"Oi, Jonny Mac," it was Mo, "Where's this coffee you promised me?"

"I can't find any clean cups" Jonny tried to explain.

"Well wash some up then" she exclaimed, looking at him as though he were simple, before turning round and walking off back to the nurse's station.

"Yeah right, of course." Jonny said to her retreating back. He picked up two of the cups at random and turning on the hot tap, began to wash them. And of course, he continued his musings, normally he would have viewed all these things as being positive – signs that things between him and Jac were going well. But he couldn't convince himself that was the case now – not since last weekend and **that** phone call.

He hadn't, as Mo had suggested, confronted Jac about everything and demanded to know where she'd been and who she'd been with, he valued his life and his future ability to father children too much for that, but he had tried to gently broach the topic with her at any and all opportune moments. And to be fair, she had answered all his questions – albeit in a very vague way, so he knew (or at least **she'd told him**) that yes she had been to London to visit her oldest friend (although she hadn't supplied a name) and when he'd asked had simply replied 'you wouldn't know her' and smiled, although the** her **part had to be a good thing, right . He also _'knew'_ that her friend had cooked for her every meal, 'because she says I never get proper home-cooking anywhere else' and that they'd gone to Oxford Street shopping on Saturday afternoon, but 'very surprisingly' (Jac's words) hadn't bought anything there except a drink. And that, on Sunday morning Jac had had a 'lovely long lie-in', whilst her friend had gone to church (mass she'd called it) and then, after lunch, they'd gone to the local park and fed the ducks. And to be honest, it did all sound fairly plausible, a little bit tame maybe, but plausible nonetheless, and if it hadn't been for that nagging doubt that just wouldn't go away, he might even have accepted it at face value.

The cups were, by now, clean enough to pass muster, so he quickly dried them up with a paper towel and turned on the kettle. He found the coffee and put a teaspoonful in each of the cups and then waited for the kettle to boil. Of course, his state of mind wasn't being helped by Mo, who was _convinced_ that Jac was up to no good, so that every time he'd pretty much managed to reassure himself that everything was probably OK with him and Jac, she popped up and put a spanner in the works. And then there was the big question he had to consider. If it turned out that Jac had been cheating on him, what would he do? He didn't think he wanted to lose her but wasn't sure how he'd feel if he couldn't trust her, and he **knew** he wouldn't be able to share her with anybody! All in all it was a mess, he was a mess and she was, well she was just….just brilliant, which was part of the problem!

A small click told him that the kettle had boiled and so he poured the water into the cups, gave a teaspoon a cursory rinse and stirred the coffee – he then added two sweeteners to the one that would be Mo's, stirred this one a few more times and then picked them up and walked out. Heading towards the nurse's station he glanced up at the clock, 8.54, and still no sign of Jac – it was as Oliver had said 'not like her'.


	5. Just Jac!

**Sorry this is so short, the next few will be longer…. Also, have added some chapter titles – hope you like them. Thanks for all the reviews by the way, very nice to know people are enjoying my work**

_Friday, 09.17, Car Park_

Jac climbed off her motorbike and removed her helmet. She was late but wasn't really bothered, the hospital was still standing after all, and she'd gone home late every day this week so far – she figured the hospital owed her half an hour. Anyway, she'd needed to do that washing up this morning, there wouldn't be time this evening and it had to be done. She was surprised how long that and the hoovering had taken though, thank goodness she had the bike, if she'd had to come in her car she'd still be stuck on the ring road. Not for the first time Jac thought 'two wheels good, four wheels bad' and smiled. ' Right, enough of this domestic goddess malarkey,' Jac thought, her smile growing, 'I've got lives to save!' She took her bag out of the compartment under the seat and headed towards the hospital. Once inside, she stood for a moment beside the main doors, considering her options, she should, she knew, go straight up to the ward but then she'd have to have coffee in one of those manky cups from the staff room – honestly she was amazed no-one had caught botulism or something from them. Or she could buy a coffee from the shop down here, although there was quite a queue, and they were usually really slow. Before she had a chance to decide her phone started to ring, she retrieved it from her bag, it was a replacement for the one which had died last weekend and it took her a few seconds to answer it, as she was still getting used to how it was set up. "Hey sweetheart", her phonebook had been transferred, so she already knew who was calling, "What's up?….Why would I be angry?...What do you mean you're on your way? You're not meant to be here till after seven! ….An earlier train, why?...But I've bought the bike to work this morning, I was going to pop home and get the car before picking you up tonight, and don't you even suggest that you can get on the bike…..No you can't! …. It's not that, it's not ready yet…..It's just not.….Right, well you'll have to come here and amuse yourself until I finish, then I'll go home and get the car and come back here and take you home…...No, well obviously it _is_ but it's fine..…OK, so you get a taxi here and when you arrive phone me, and if I don't answer get the receptionist to bleep me. I'll let her know that someone might ask her to….Right, OK then I'll see you in a little while….Yeah, bye…OK, see you soon" and Jac ended the call.

"Honestly, what a nuisance" she muttered, but the smile she wore belied her words, "Absolutely typical" she added, her smile growing. Right, first the receptionist and then a coffee, stuff the queue, the ward could wait


	6. Weird again

_**Sorry about the delay in uploading this – v. busy weekend.**_

_Friday, 09.33. Nurses's station, Darwin_

Oliver and Tara were discussing Jac's late show, "but what if something's happened to her, she could have had a crash or anything. " Tara said, sounding worried. "Has anybody tried to phone her?"

"No need," Oliver said. Tara followed his gaze and saw Miss Naylor, wearing her bike leathers, and with her helmet in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other coming down the corridor from the entrance to the ward. They weren't the only people who noticed her entrance,

"And what time do you call this Miss Naylor?" Jonny asked her quietly as he came out of Bay 2 behind her. A quick glance at the clock and Jac turned to him and said sweetly,

"9.34, Nurse Maconie" and after giving him one of her best fake sweet smiles turned around and walked towards the nurse's station. "Right," she said "is there anything that can't wait for five minutes?" She looked at both Oli and Tara expectantly, "OK, I'm going to assume your silence means no and go and get changed, I'll be back soon right" and without waiting for an answer walked off towards the locker room. Jonny, who had been watching this exchange from outside Bay 2, was reminded again just how sexy she looked in those leathers, and was then struck by another thought 'but she's even sexier out of them!' and began to think of just that.

His little day-dream was rudely interrupted by Mr Hatter from Bed 3, calling out to him "Excuse me nurse, was that Miss Naylor?"

"It certainly was." Jonny answered

"Right, well would you be kind enough to let her know that I'd like to talk her when she's got a few minutes to spare."

"Of course I will. It might take her a little while because she'll have to catch up with everything, but I'm sure she'll be delighted to talk to you when she's done that"

"Oh, great thanks" Mr Hatter replied, "I mean, there's no hurry, just whenever she has the time"

"Rest assured, I'll let her know" Jonny said, "she'll be in at some point to speak to you. Is there anything I can do for you in the meantime?" Mr Hatter shook his head, and Jonny said "Well in that case, I'll go and let Miss Naylor know about your request." As he left Bay 2 he saw Jac coming out of the locker room, wearing her customary scrubs and looking drop-dead gorgeous in them – he didn't know how she pulled it off, but she did! He walked over to the Nurse's Station, and arrived just in time to hear Jac say to Tara and Oli,

"Right, what've we got – anything from ward round? Come on people, a bit of enthusiasm please, there must be something!" He and Oli exchanged glances, whilst Tara rattled off the findings from this morning's ward round, Jac was being weird again, and from the look he'd just given Jonny, even Oli had noticed….

_Friday, 11.22. Consultant's Office, Darwin._

Jac pushed open the door with her elbow and came in to the office backwards, once in she turned round and added the notes she was carrying to the pile already on Elliott's desk. If he wasn't careful one of these days she'd come in to find him buried under them, it was all looking a bit precarious on there, still it was comforting in a strange kind of way. Annoying, potentially dangerous but oddly comforting too – the mess on Elliott's desk was one of the things you could always rely on. Still, she was eternally grateful that she had her own desk – sharing an office with Elliott was one thing, but if she'd had to share a desk she honestly didn't think she'd be able to. If only Hanssen knew how easy it would be to get rid of her! Anyway, enough of this, she reached into her bag which was about the only thing apart from her computer that was on her desk, and took out her phone – nothing yet. 'Right, Mr Hatter,' she thought, 'I'm all yours' and she put her phone back into her bag and left the office.

_Friday, 11.31. Nurse's station, Darwin._

Jonny watched as Jac came out of Bay 2, he knew she'd just been talking to Mr Hatter and was curious to know what he'd said. Before he got the chance to ask though, her bleep went off. She stopped, took it off her hip to look at it, and when she saw the number, beamed and quickly turned round and almost ran off the ward. What was going on with her?


	7. SRG

**So, yesterday's episode has rather scuppered this story but I am going to assume that at some point Jac and Jonny do get back together and that this takes place after that point in time, or, if you'd prefer you can pretend that their break-up didn't happen at all….**

_Friday, 11.34. Main Reception_

Jac waited impatiently for the lift to reach the ground floor. She'd actually considered taking the stairs, knowing it'd be quicker, but had decided that her knee might not take it. 'Come on, come on' she thought. Finally the lift reached its destination, and Jac had to really try hard to not barge through the rest of the passengers to get out. Then suddenly the way was clear and she stepped out of the lift, into the main reception. She looked over to Reception and then beamed once again as she saw the person she'd been waiting to see since she'd received that phonecall when she arrived at work – Jil ! At exactly that moment Jil turned round from the reception desk, saw Jac, and matching her smile, waved. Jac was already walking over to the reception desk, so didn't wave back, but when she reached the desk (much to the surprise of the receptionist, who would **never** have expected it of Miss Naylor) gave her a huge hug, which Jil returned with just as much enthusiasm. They broke apart after a few seconds and Jil said with a wicked smile "And how's my favourite S.R.G. today?"

"Oi, enough of that – you've only just arrived and you're already insulting me", Jac replied, still smiling.

"Skinny rude girl" Jil persisted, "it's just perfect for you."

"Well the first word in that sentence definitely doesn't apply to you now" Jac retorted.

"Oi, now who's being insulting." Jil countered. "And you're a rubbish hostess – I've been here at least five minutes and you haven't even asked if I want a cup of tea yet. Poor show, Jac, very poor."

"Well, if you really want one – you'd be better getting one from there' said Jac, pointing towards the café, "than up on Darwin. Believe me, you wouldn't want to trust the cups up there."

"Right, well" Jil said, "I'll have a decaf tea then, if they've got it, and a herbal tea if they haven't – but not peppermint". Jac picked up Jil's holdall that had been by her feet and they headed off towards the coffee shop and joined the queue. They were deep in conversation when Jac felt a tap on her shoulder, turning round she smiled once more as she saw Sacha standing there.

"Miss Naylor, wow, that smile's a sight for sore eyes, as is this other vision of loveliness" he said looking at Jil "who is?"

"This is Jil Lovell– she's a friend of mine who's come up from London for the weekend" Jac answered.

"Enchanted, Miss Lovell," Sacha said, taking her hand in his and kissing it.

Jil beamed and said, "You must be Sacha – it's so lovely to meet you at last. Jac's told me so much about you."

"Oh, well you don't want to listen to what she says you know"

"It was all good" Jil interjected.

"Oh well in that case – you should believe every word she's said!"

The queue had moved forward during these exchanges, and it was their turn. "A latte, decaff tea and, Sacha, what do you want" Jac asked, turning to him

"Hot chocolate please," he answered

"and a hot chocolate, please" she said to finish off her order.

"£4.30 please" the assistant said. Jac reached into her pocket to get some money out but was beaten to it by Sacha who handed a five pound note to the cashier, saying, "No, no this is my treat. We can't have lovely ladies like you paying for our own drinks now can we. "

At this Jac rolled her eyes, "See – I told you," she said to Jil. "She didn't believe me when I said what an idiot you were" she said to Sacha, by way of explanation.

"But Jac, you know you wouldn't want me any other way," he replied. "She loves me really" he said to Jil in a theatrical whisper.

"In your dreams mate" Jac snorted, and when she saw Sacha mouthing "She does" at Jil, gave him a playful slap across his arm.

"A latte, hot chocolate and a decaff tea" the coffee shop assistant said, interrupting the trio. They picked up their drinks and Jac, looking over to the tables, asked Sacha

"So, are you on an official break, or have you just sneaked off AAU for a chocolate fix?"

"I do not sneak!" Sacha insisted, "I always tell people when I'm off on a chocolate hunt. But as it happens I am on an official break, and would be honoured to spend it with you and your delightful friend." They made their way to the tables and sat down. "So" Sacha began, when they'd all settled into their seats, "I really hope my doctor's instincts are right about this, because if they're not I'm sitting much too close to Jac for comfort, but how long to go before the big day" pointing towards Jil's stomach.

"It's ok," Jill said smiling, "your instincts are spot on. I'm 22 weeks now, so just over four months left"

"Wow, so over halfway then – that's a neat little bump in that case."

"Thank you. I'm not sure I'd agree with you about the little though – I think it looks like I've got a football shoved up my jumper. I'm definitely not an S.R.G now, as Jac had great pleasure in pointing out to me when I arrived"

"S.R.G.?" Sacha asked, looking confused.

"Skinny rude girl," Jac interjected, "it's what that mad actress woman called me and I stupidly told Jil, and she's been taunting me with it ever since"

"But it's just brilliant" Jil insisted, "it's you down to a tee. Although, sadly not me anymore, not that I've ever been one for rudeness really, Jac's always been impolite enough for both of us, but I did use to be, well if not skinny, at least slim. But I suppose 'fairly polite, used to be slim girl' doesn't have quite the same ring to it. And you know," she said, looking at Jac and smiling, "it's a term of affection when I use it."

"Mmmmm, I suppose so" said Jac "which reminds me you said yesterday that you had a present for me – so where is it?"…..

_Friday, 11.50. Darwin._

Jonny was changing Ms Whittaker's drip in Bay 1, when he heard Jac's voice through the curtain that surrounded the bed. He'd been trying to keep busy since her sudden departure from the ward, trying to stave off the feeling of impending doom that was hovering over him. That smile – he'd never seen her look so happy before, why on earth would she be so happy about a bleep? Unless of course (as Mo had helpfully suggested!) the bleep was from the multi-millionaire Harley Street surgeon she'd been cheating on Jonny with down in London. Jonny strained to hear what was being said but couldn't pick out anything definitive – she was definitely talking to, and, oh no, laughing with someone else though, he had to find out who. He exited Bay 1 just in time to see Jac going into her office, following someone who he only caught a glimpse of (brown hair, green coat), but who he was almost positive was female – halleluiah! He bounded over to the Nurse's Station, where Mo and Tara were sitting, also looking towards the door of Jac's office. "So," Jonny demanded, "what's goin' on?"

Tara and Mo both turned to him, but it was Tara who answered. "Miss Naylor's just gone into her office with some woman, some pregnant woman, and they were both laughing."

"A woman, it was definitely a woman, you're sure?" Jonny repeated, he had to be sure. Tara looked at him like he was touched but nodded. 'Oh, thank God', Jonny thought breathing a sigh of relief, "and did you say she was pregnant?" Again the look, and a nod. "Well now, that's a turn up for the books – I wonder who she is?"

"They needn't be connected you know," Mo said "last weekend and this woman's appearance, they could be completely unrelated events." And lowering her voice so Tara couldn't hear, "she still could have been two-timing you, I mean why wouldn't she just say if she was going to visit a pregnant friend?" She had a point, Jonny's heart sank a little as he thought about what Mo had just said, he'd just have to find out somehow, but how? Then he had an idea,

"Tara, I need you to do me a favour.."

_Friday, 11.54. Consultant's Office, Darwin._

"…so I've got to do some consults on the ward this morning, and a couple of minor ops this afternoon, so you're going to have to amuse yourself for a lot of the day but I should be able to have lunch with you before my theatre list starts. Is that OK?" Before her friend had a chance to answer, Jac continued, "well it's your own fault if it's not OK – seeing as you were the one who caught an earlier train and completely wrecked my plans for the day."

"It's fine Jac – I am perfectly capable of finding stuff to do for a couple of hours, you've got the internet right?" Jac nodded. "Perfect, then I can search for rude words which the filter will block and get you into trouble with your IT bods," Jil said, smiling mischeviously.

"Fine" Jac said, "but remember I know the password to your email account – it'd be terrible if someone hacked into it and sent a rude message to everyone in your add…" She was interrupted by a knock at the door, "Come in"

Tara entered nervously, she couldn't believe Jonny had talked her into this – she was such a soft touch! "Erm, sorry to disturb Miss Naylor but I have a query about Mr Jacobson, and Miss Effanga thought you were the best person to ask. Sorry again, to interrupt you…"

"Don't worry it's fine," said Jil from the sofa she was sitting on, "this is a hospital, Jac's a doctor, she has patient's to treat. I see I'll have to introduce myself because Jac hasn't quite got her head round these social niceities yet – It's Tara isn't it?" Tara nodded "and I'm Jil, Jac's best and oldest friend.

Tara giggled involuntarily – Jac and Jill, that was hilarious – however, when she glanced over at Miss Naylor, the look on her face sobered her immediately. "What's so funny?" Miss Naylor asked coldly.

Tara gulped, "Erm, nothing it's just.." Salvation came from a seemingly unlikely source,

"Calm down Jac," Jil said. "It's OK Tara, we're both aware of the inherent comedy in best friends being called Jac and Jil, and believe me we've heard all the jokes! But you know what the funniest thing about it is – Jil isn't even my actual name! I like to think of it as being one more sign that Jac and I should be best friends"

"Right," Jac said, "that's enough of that. What's the problem with Mr Jacobson?"

"Well" Tara said, heading towards the door, "there are a few anomalies with his blood results and when I had another look at his latest chest X-Ray I was…

"Sshhh," Jac commanded. Tara stopped talking immediately. "You'll be alright here, whilst I go and sort this out" she asked Jil. Jil nodded. "Ok, please continue Dr Lo" Jac opened the office door and walked out with Tara on to the ward

"yes, erm when I had another look at his.." As the door closed their voices grew fainter, until Jil could no longer hear them at all. She slipped off her shoes and snuggled down into the sofa till she found just the right position. Then there was a knock at the door, 'no rest for the wicked' Jil thought, and Jonny popped his head round the door.

"Oh sorry, I was looking for Ja.. Miss Naylor" he said to the petite, but obviously pregnant, woman sitting on the sofa in the office.

Oh, erm you've just missed her – she's gone to see a patient with Tara – Mr Jacobson I think. I'm surprised you didn't see her actually, Jonny isn't it?" 'How the hell does she know my name' Jonny thought. Seeing his confusion, Jil clarified, "Sorry, Jac's told me about work and your accent kind of gave you away – she's only ever mentioned one Scotsman on the ward. I'm Jil, by the way," she said, offering him her hand. Jonny shook it and continued,

"So Jac talks about work to you does she? You've not to believe everything she says you know"

"You're the second person who's said that to me today," Jil replied, smiling. "And to answer your question, yes Jac does talk to me about work. But then we're best friends - we talk about everything"

"So," Jonny was determined to find out the truth "what brings you to Holby then?"

"Jac's doing me a huge favour," Jil replied, "because of this" she said indicating her bump "I've just moved from a flat into a house, but my husband sometimes has to work away over the weekend. Well I didn't really mind it when we were in the flat because I knew there were always people around, but since we've been in the house I'm not so keen. So Jac, bless her, has been my, I suppose you could call her my companion, for the weekend's Daniel's been away. Up till now, she's been coming down to me in London, but that didn't seem fair, so this weekend I've come to stay with her instead."

"Oh right" Jonny said "so it was you she was staying with last week then?"

"Yep – she's just been brilliant, I don't know what I'd have done without her," Jil continued. But Jonny wasn't really listening to her anymore. 'Yep' – that was one of the best sounds he'd ever heard, it meant Jac hadn't been seeing anybody else, meant she hadn't been lying to him, meant he hadn't been sharing her and most importantly that he could trust her!

"Are you alright?" Jonny's thoughts were interrupted by Jil.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine…..actually I'm grand, really grand!" He continued. "So, you were with Jac last weekend, yeah", just to confirm it once more. Jil nodded. 'Take that Mo' Jonny thought. "So is it true that she went shopping to Oxford Street and didn't buy anything?"

"I'm afraid I can neither confirm nor deny that," Jil said smiling, "it would break my professional guidelines"

"Oh right," said Jonny, playing along, "so what do you do?"

"I'm a clinical psychologist, but my confidentiality extends to retail therapy too, I'm afraid."

"Wow, a clinical psychologist ehh – I honestly don't know what to say to that."

"Well as long as you don't say what most people do when I tell them, you'll be fine."

"Right…any chance you could give me a clue"

"It's normally either 'so are you trying to analyse me' or 'are you/or can you read my mind?' – bit more than a clue there actually, but I'm feeling generous this morning. Must be in a good mood." She looked up and smiled, continuing "I can't imagine why. You got any ideas Jac?"

She'd done it again – Jonny hadn't even heard the door open.

"I don't know, maybe it's the company you're keeping." Jac replied. "Speaking of which, Nurse Maconie, can I help you?" And then to Jil, "has he been bothering you?"

"No, no not at all" Jil rushed to assure her. "We've just been having a little chat. Jonny was asking me about my job"

"Right, well OK then, but I'm sure Nurse Maconie has work to do, so you don't mind if I steal him away do you?"

"No, no – steal away – I'll stay here for a bit, might go on the internet in a little while," Jil answered, smiling wickedly.

"Right, you do that" Jac replied, smiling back. And opening the office door, stood back and let Jonny leave before her. Jil could hear her telling him off, "You'd better not have been pestering her, I'm warning you if…." As their voices trailed away Jil smiled, some things never changed – Jac was looking out for her, just like always.


	8. The Jil Effect

**Hi everyone - thanks for all the lovely reviews - please keep them coming. Hi World there will be (I promise!) some Jac/Jonny loving but not till the final chapters really - sorry (hopefully it will be worth the wait though). Main aim of this was to explore the Jac/Jil friendship and to see how someone who has known Jac since she was very small (before all the rubbish happened to her) and who loves her feels about her and more crucially WHY she feels like that - it will all become clear in the later chapters. Anway, enough explanation on with the next chapter...Enjoy!**

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Friday, 12.47. Staff Room, Darwin.

Tara entered the staff room at her usual breakneck speed, but stopped suddenly at what she saw as she entered. "Oh," she said, recovering quickly "Have you got bored of Miss Naylor's office?"

Jil looked up from the chair she was sitting on and smiled. "Not exactly, the nesting instinct's kicked in early I think" she explained looking down at her bump, "and now there's only _so_ long I can look at mess without experiencing an overwhelming urge to organise it, and I didn't think Professor Hope would appreciate my efforts."

Tara smiled, "Yes, organised isn't the first word I'd used to describe Professor Hope, have you met him yet?"

"Not yet no," Jil answered, "Jac told me he was at the university this morning. I'm hoping he's back this afternoon though – I'd really like to meet him, from what Jac's told me he sounds lovely."

"Oh he is", Tara enthused "he's really wonderful – so friendly and helpful, he's definitely my favourite consultant. Not that Miss Naylor isn't fantastic too," she added, hurriedly, "it's just that…"

"It's OK Tara," Jil said reassuringly, "I've known Jac for, well I don't really like to think how long I've known her for, but it's long enough to know she's not exactly the most cuddly person on the planet, or the easiest to get on with"

"So, how long have you known Miss Naylor for?" Tara asked, keen to change the subject.

"Practically forever," Jil replied, "we went to the same nursery, Jac started the week after I did."

"Wow," Tara said "and you've stayed friends ever since?"

"Yep – went to the same schools and were both down in London for uni – not doing the same course I hasten to add – I wasn't clever enough to do medicine"

"So what do you do?" Tara asked interestedly. She liked Jil – she'd saved her from the wrath of Miss Naylor earlier on, and as such, had earned her eternal gratitude.

"I'm a clinical psychologist – I work with Looked After Children in Hillingdon."

"Wow, that sounds…heavy"

"It can be, but it's not a matter of life and death like your job, well not normally anyway. I could never do what you and Jac do – it's just such a massive thing. I mean, you literally hold people's hearts, people's lives in your hands – that's just amazing!"

"I'd never really thought about it like that before," Tara said, "it's just what I do, I suppose. Simple as that, and I can't imagine ever wanting to do anything else"

"Well, that's got to be a good thing" Jil said, "you spend well over half your waking life at work so I always feel incredibly sorry for people who don't like their jobs."

"So you like your job too then," Tara surmised.

"Most of the time..yes . Although I could do without all the paperwork that seems to go along with it"

"Tell me about it," Tara agreed, "it's just so annoy…" She stopped mid-sentence as the door opened and Oli came in. "Hey" she said, smiling broadly, "have you met Miss Naylor's friend yet?"

Oli shook his head and said "No"

"Oli, this is Jil and" she said looking at Jil, "this is Oliver Valentine."

"Delighted to meet you," Jil said, offering him her hand, "you're pretty much how I imagined you from what Jac told me. Maybe a bit more handsome, she didn't tell me how blue your eyes were for example, but otherwise she described you pretty well." Oliver, who had started to blush, quickly turned away from her, and began to look wildly around the counter. "They're in the cupboard," Jil said.

"What?" Oli turned round, confused.

"The cups, they're in the cupboard" Jill explained. "Sorry - I've got cleaning-itis, just can't stand mess anymore. Never used to be like this – I've never had such a clean house! It's an interesting symptom of pregnancy – the swollen ankles I was expecting, the overwhelming urge to tidy everything, not so much."

"Jac and Jil," Oli suddenly exclaimed, and then, seeing the look on Tara and Jil's startled faces, continued, "Oh, did I say that out loud?."

"Yep, I'm afraid you did," Jil said "but Tara and I have already had this conversation. I wouldn't mention it to Jac though, she doesn't have such an er…. relaxed view about the comedic potential of our names as I do"

"Ooh," Tara said suddenly, reminded of something , "if Jil isn't your actual name, what is it?"

"Would you believe it's Julianna…" Jil replied, "but my brother couldn't manage that when I was first born, so I've been Jil pretty much since I came home from the hospital. It's really funny actually, some of my friends thought the priest had said the wrong name when I got married – they'd just assumed my name was Gillian I think. You wouldn't believe the number of people who said something about it to me in the line-up. But like I said to you Tara I personally think it's just another sign that me and Jac were destined to be best friends – it was written in the stars!" she finished dramatically.

"Absolute tosh," a voice from behind them said. Jac was standing at the door, "I can't believe you're repeating that drivel again. Fate has absolutely nothing to do with it – I'm stuck with you now, you know far too much about me for me to ever be able to dump you!"

"Mmm, its true," Jil agreed, "it could cost you thousands to keep me quiet! You're definitely better off keeping me on side – I work with children so I've had lots of practice with cutting out things from magazines, I'm sure I could create some wickedly good blackmail letters if I put my mind to it!"

"I've absolutely no doubt you could, but right now I'm more concerned about the fact that you appear to be keeping my doctors from whatever it is they're actually meant to be doing, which I'm fairly sure is NOT having a cosy little chat with you!" Jac said pointedly. "Come on you two" she said to Oli and Tara, "the patients won't cure themselves – go and doctor!"

"But I was trying to make a cup of coffee," Oli objected.

"And what's your excuse St Trinian's?" Jac demanded of Tara

"I came to get my lunch out of the fridge!" she replied.

"And yet there is no food in your hand" Jac retorted, sarcastically, "come on you two get moving I'd like to get home sometime before midnight today". At this, Tara scurried over to the fridge to retrieve her lunch and Oliver hurriedly finished making his coffee and then they both rushed out of the door that Jac was still standing by. "You'll be alright here for a bit longer?" she asked Jil, "I should be done in about 20 minutes, half an hour tops, and then you can buy me lunch."

"Yep, I'll be fine" Jil said "think I've just spotted something else that needs cleaning."

"Right….good," Jac said sounding puzzled. She thought about asking her friend to explain what she meant but reasoned that there wasn't really any point – it was probably something to do with her hormones!

_Friday, 13.11. Darwin._

Jonny just couldn't stop smiling – he didn't think he'd ever been so relieved! He hadn't realised quite how much all the worry about what Jac had been up to had been affecting him – it felt like he'd been holding his breath for the last week. He had taken great pleasure in telling Mo that all her stupid theories about Jac had been completely wrong, and that there was no Harley Street surgeon after all. Mo had actually tried to say that it could still be true – Jil could be covering for Jac, lying to Jonny so that Jac could keep playing away, but even she didn't sound that convinced.

Jonny was actually surprised by just how happy he was feeling, surprised and, if he was honest a little bit worried too. I mean he'd always known, from the first time he'd seen her on that people's skills course, that she was his kind of girl – feisty, able to stick up for herself and a little bit naughty, but he hadn't realised until now just how much she was beginning to mean to him. He had, he knew, long ago seen through her frosty, ice exterior but this past week he thought he had begun to understand the real Jac Naylor – the person she could be, should be. As he'd watched her sleeping early on Wednesday morning, he'd been astonished by just how different she looked from normal – still beautiful (breathtakingly so) but strangely relaxed, vulnerable even, which was just not usual for Jac, even when she was asleep. And this strange new Jac was doing incredible things to him and he was just starting to recognize how much trouble he could be in. But for now he was still smiling!

Jac passed Jonny sitting at the nurse's station, on the way to Bay 3. He looked up at her as she went by and literally beamed at her. She didn't know what was up with him today – he'd been grinning like a Cheshire cat who'd got the cream for most of the morning, although not, she suddenly remembered for the whole of it, he'd seemed quite down when she came in this morning. Although, she reasoned, he'd been acting weird all week – he was normally so laid-back he was almost horizontal (which frequently drove her mad) but he'd seemed really on edge, tense even, this week. And he'd not been giving her any of his usual back-chat and hadn't come out with any of (what he, but definitely not she, would call) his 'witty one liners' at all. It was like he'd been on a different planet for most of the week – the number of times she'd caught him looking at her with an expression she couldn't quite read on his face, which just wasn't like Jonny – his feelings were normally so transparent they were almost see through. Still, it looked like he was back on Planet Earth for the moment, which she supposed was a good thing – 'must be the Jil effect' she concluded.

_Friday, 13.16. Staff Room, Darwin_

Jonny walked into the staff room whistling. "Somebody sounds happy" a voice said. Jonny stopped dead and looked around the room for the source of the comment. He was somewhat surprised to see, through the legs of the table, Jil crouching by the open door of the fridge.

"Are you OK", he asked concerned, walking over to her.

"Oh yes, I'm fine" she replied. "I started off just throwing away all the out of date food, but then I just had to wipe all the shelves down and clean out the drawers too," she explained, showing him the cloth that was in her hand. "Honestly, I don't know how nobody's caught food poisoning yet – I'm always amazed by how disgusting hospital fridges are, especially when everywhere else is so clean – it's really bizarre. "

"Erm…yeah" Jonny said, not really knowing where this conversation was going, "I suppose it is…Do you need a hand?" He asked, as he saw Jil preparing to get up.

"Oh, yes please." Jil said, gratefully, holding out her hand, "it's not so easy for me to get up these days. Still," she continued, as Jonny helped her up, "it does give me an excuse to hold handsome strangers hands, so it's not all bad. Thanks"

"So," Jonny said "you and Miss Naylor. A little bird told me you'd been friends since you were tiny?"

"Yep, since we were three," Jil replied, "but Jonny you can drop the pretence of formality with me and call her Jac – like I said earlier, we talk about everything."

"Oh right, so she's told you about me then?" Jil nodded. "What's she said?"

"Sorry, no can do," Jil said smiling, "what Jac and I talk about – it's confidential. Jac wouldn't have it any other way! In fact," she continued, her smile growing into a face-splitting grin "you could say I'm the graveyard of her secrets – you know I heard that on TV once, been waiting for a chance to say it ever since."

"So, you're not going to tell me anything?" Jonny exclaimed.

"Nope, wouldn't risk it, not even for a muscular, rugged Celt" Jil replied, smiling as she saw Jonny blush.

"Right, OK then." Jonny said, and decided to change tack, "So you and Jac have been friends since you were three, right?" Jil nodded, "so you must be some kind of magician then, or a saint?" He saw the confusion on Jil's face, and explained "I mean, it's hard work getting close to her!"

"Yes, it is, she is" Jil agreed, "but then" she continued after the slightest pause, "the best things normally are, and **so very** worth it." And then she looked at Jonny with an unreadable expression on her face, and he, starting to feel uncomfortable, attempted to defuse the situation.

"What?" he exclaimed.

"It's just so weird" Jil explained, looking towards the open door- Jonny followed her gaze and saw Jac turning the corner heading towards the staff room, "it's like you have **absolutely NO idea** how extraordinary she is, and I just don't get it!"

"Oi, Tubby," Jac called smiling, as she reached the staff room door, "you ready to go to lunch?"

"Yep, ready, willing and able." Jil replied, smiling back.

"Come on then, let's go – I'm starving" Jac said.

"You're starving!" Jil countered, "I'm meant to be eating for two, and I've only had a couple of biscuits since breakfast, and they weren't even chocolate ones!" She followed Jac out the door, and with one last backward look at Jonny, set off down the corridor to catch up with her.

Jonny gazed after them – he couldn't shake the feeling that he had just been told off but couldn't think what for. He didn't think anything he'd said had been particularly controversial, and Jil had agreed with him, so he couldn't think why she'd be annoyed. Although, 'maybe annoyed isn't quite the right word' he thought, as he replayed the conversation, disappointed was probably a better description. Yes, that was it, Jil was disappointed with him, in him – she thought he didn't know how special Jac was. But that just wasn't true 'of course I know how brilliant she is, that's been part of the problem this week – I know exactly what I could lose,' he tried to convince himself. But doubts began to crowd in, maybe he didn't, maybe he wasn't completely aware of how, what was the word Jil had used…. how extraordinary Jac was. And if that was true then that posed a question - what was he going to do about it? Or perhaps, more to the point what could he do?...


	9. Sacred things

**Hi All. Here is another update - a really short chapter I'm afraid, but there should be another longer one towards the end of the week. Thanks for all the reviews - please keep them coming**

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_F__riday, 13,32. Hospital canteen._

Jac and Jil entered the canteen deep in conversation, and were interrupted by Sacha, who was just leaving and greeted them by saying. 'Hey if it isn't my favourite skinny ru…." His voice tailed off as he noticed Jil frantically shaking her head, and then spotted the look on Jac's face – murderous was probably the best word he could use to describe it. Confusion flooded his kindly features, and was evident in his voice as he asked Jil, 'How come when you call her that she smiles, and when I say it I get that look?" he said pointing towards Jac

"B.F.P.!" Jil said, and seeing Sacha looking even more confused, explained "Best friend's privilege – you see Sacha when you've known Jac for another 30 years you too will be able to insult her whenever you wish, without incurring her wrath but, until then, compliments are probably the best way to earn a smile from her. Isn't that right, Jac? Any sort of compliment will do – but ones about her surgical skills and how nice her shoes are especially welcome." Sacha immediately looked down at Jac's feet and seeing the trainers she was wearing, looked up at Jil, confusion once again clouding his face. "Not those shoes," Jil explained, "the highly unsuitable, and frankly quite ridiculous ones she wears into work on the days she's not on her bike"

"What's wrong with my shoes?" Jac interrupted, sounding slightly put out.

"They're too high, they're hard to walk in, they hurt your feet and" Jil finished definitely, "they make you grumpy! You know" she continued, addressing Sacha, "she's an absolute teddy bear when she's wearing her slippers – you wouldn't recognise her"

"I thought you were hungry" Jac said, desperate to somehow finish this conversation, "there'll be no food left if you carry on gassing to all and sundry about my choice of footwear, which I will have you know is perfectly sane and sensible"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say" Jil said, "they're really not" she continued in a stage whisper to Sacha, earning herself a gentle slap from Jac. "Ow" she exclaimed, "assaulting a pregnant woman, Jac that's not good, and you're not even wearing those shoes!"

"Right, enough about my shoes already," Jac said smiling in response to her friend's comments. "We really do need to get some food soon – my theatre list's meant to start at two, and I hate to keep my patients waiting."

"One minute," said Sacha who had spotted Chrissie, who he'd had lunch with, heading towards to the door. "Chrissie" he said, beckoning her over "this is Jil, a friend of Jac's, and this" he said turning to Jil, "is Chrissie, my wife"

"Nice to meet you," Jil said, offering Chrissie her hand "Jac told me all about your wedding." The slightly panicked look that crossed Chrissie's face wasn't lost on Jac, nor how she visibly relaxed as Jil continued "it sounded lovely."

"Yes, it was a great day – to be honest sometimes I still can't quite believe it wasn't all a dream" Sacha said, beaming. "But enough about me and my fabulous life, we'd better leave you to get some food, I wouldn't want to be responsible for making Miss Naylor late." And with that he turned to leave, and following Chrissie, exited the canteen.

"Oh Jac," Jil said, as they walked towards the canteen counter's, "he's lovely!"

"Mmm," Jac said non-comitally, "he's OK in small doses, I suppose"

"Yes, I can see how somebody who's cuddly and cheerful would be a problem for you" Jil said, smiling mischeviously, "I know what an old curmudgeon you are! It must be difficult working with someone who's actually nice – almost unbearable in fact"

"Alright, alright, I get it." Jac said smiling back, "Now what do you want?"…

* * *

_A __little while later_

"But Jac you **have** to!" Jil said, as they sat at a table eating their food. "If you don't say yes, I'm going to have no choice but to ask Assumpta. And, I know she means well but she's already driving me mad, and if she has to be godmother too I think I might just end up killing her! And you wouldn't want that on your conscience would you – a murder and me doing time for it. And don't you dare say you don't have a conscience" Jil said, before Jac had a chance to articulate just that.

"Are you sure it's a good idea though, asking me?" Jac said, real concern in her voice, "I said yes last time, and look how that ended!"

"Oh Jac," Jil said, "you can't really believe that had anything to do with it surely? That's more fantastical than me believing we were destined to be friends because Rob couldn't say my real name properly when I was born!" She reached over and gripped her friend's hand, and Jac looked up at her friend, noting the passion present in her dark brown eyes. "I want you to be my baby's godmother because you're my best friend and I can't think of anyone I would rather have doing the job! OK?" She could see Jac was still conflicted, so continued, "Please Jac, it'll be OK, I promise!" And she saw from Jac's expression that those two words had swung it, as she knew they would - promises were sacred things in their relationship, not lightly made and NEVER broken. If she'd promised things would be OK, then things would be OK – and even though, ostensibly, she had no power to keep this promise (as there were hundreds, if not thousands, of things, over which she had no control, that could go wrong with her pregnancy and the birth) the fact that she _had_ made it would be enough to make Jac agree to be godmother again.

"Alright, if you're sure," Jac said.

"I'm **so **sure." Jil answered smiling, "I've never been surer!" and with that she gave her friend's hand one last squeeze before releasing it and picking up her knife again….


	10. Graveyard of her secrets

Jonny had entered the canteen whilst Jac and Jil were having their godmother conversation, he'd spotted them immediately, Jac's fiery auburn hair standing out like a beacon, but he also sensed that he shouldn't interrupt their discussion. Anyway, he reasoned, interrupting them would do him no good – he needed to speak to Jil on her own. How he was going to achieve this he hadn't really thought about – for once he was a man without a plan, he just knew that he had to find out what Jil had meant. He wasn't even sure why he was here really, he knew she'd be with Jac now and as such unable to talk to him, but he couldn't help himself. Just staying on the ward doing nothing, waiting, just wasn't an option, some instinct to do something, anything (however pointless it seemed) had taken over him. And so here he was, spying on his girlfriend and her best friend, waiting to do something, although he had no idea what, or how to achieve it - it would have been funny if it wasn't so damn important to him! He realised that if he wasn't careful Jac and/or Jil would look around and see him so he retreated to a table towards the back of the canteen and sat down, watching and waiting.

A few minutes later his patience was rewarded – Jac got up and rejoined the fairly lengthy queue at the canteen counter – Jonny reckoned that, with a fair wind and the usual faffing over change at the tills, he had at least five minutes to play with. So he seized the opportunity and quickly walked over to Jil's table, sitting in the seat Jac had vacated moments before. Jil looked up and was obviously puzzled to see him, saying, "Ohh, if you're looking for Jac she's ju…

Jonny, who knew time was of the essence, interrupted her, "No, no – it's you I'm after actually?"

"Oh…OK?" Jil said, uncertainly."Erm… what can I do for you then?"

"Well, erm," Jonny hesitated, he hadn't actually planned what he was going to say. "Erm, well I was erm." He could see Jil's face – the expression on it had changed from one of puzzlement to one of concern, possibly even worry, and he could see that she was about to turn around and look for Jac. 'Get a grip' he thought to himself. "I was wondering," he began, and seeing that Jil's attention had been attracted back to him continued, "I was wondering if I'd said anything to upset you in the staff room earlier. It's just I got the feeling you were a bit annoyed with me about something, and I couldn't figure out what it was and I'd hate you to have the wrong impression of me, because I'd really like you to like me. I mean you don't dislike me do you?" he finished, the concern showing through in his voice.

"Well, I don't think I really know you well enough to say yet" Jil answered, "but no, I wouldn't say I dislike you, not at all. I'm not like Jac on that score – I tend to like to spend some time with people before I decide if I like them or not. Probably something to do with my job – I have to be non-judgemental at work, and I suppose it spills over into my real life too. But can I ask why you thought that?"

"it's just that, before Jac came into the staffroom earlier, I got the impression you were telling me off about something. That somehow I don't know, you felt like I'd let you down or something" Jonny explained.

"Oh yes," Jil said remembering, "about you not knowing how extraordinary Jac is." Jonny nodded, "well I didn't mean it to sound like I was telling you off – I was just surprised that's all, that you don't seem to know it – when it's just so obvious to me."

"But I do," Jonny countered "I really do know how amazing she is!"

"Mmm..maybe.." Jil said doubtfully.

"You don't sound convinced" Jonny surmised.

"To be truthful – I'm not." Jil replied. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm sure you think you know how wonderful she is, but I doubt you _really _do. And that's probably got very little to do with you – Jac's hardly an open book and I don't suppose she's been that forthcoming. But it's like you're not completely sure that all the, what was it you called it…oh yeah 'hard work' it takes to get close to her is worth it, whereas I **absolutely** **know **that it is, you see."

"Well _if_ that's true," Jonny answered, "and I'm not saying it is" he added hurriedly. "But let's just say, for the sake of argument that I don't know how wonderful Jac is and you do, and you think I need to, then, obviously the solution is for you to tell me how you know Jac is so amazing. Yes?"

"Yes" Jil said simply, "that would be the perfect solution. But" and she saw Jonny's face fall as she uttered that dreaded word, "much as I would LOVE to tell you all about Jac's wonderfulness, I can't – sorry"

"But….I don't understand," Jonny began "you think I should know but you won't tell me, how does that work?"

"I'm so sorry" Jil said meaning it, "but I don't know how much you know about Jac already, and I can't risk telling you something she wouldn't want you to know. You know when I said about being the graveyard of her secrets, I really wasn't joking – one of the things that's kept our friendship going is my ability to keep her secrets, secret. You know how important privacy is to her, right?" Jonny nodded. "Well, so do I and that's why I can't, I won't, risk upsetting her – you do understand?" she asked, searching for confirmation, "she's my best friend, and I wouldn't want to hurt her, not for anything, you do see?"

"I suppose so," Jonny reluctantly agreed, "but" he continued, "it might not hurt her- it might help, if I understood her better, it might make us stronger, which has got to be a good thing, right?"

"But I don't think she'd see it that way," Jil said, "if I told you anything she'd rather you didn't know, no matter why I did it or what the consequences of that were, she'd still see it as a betrayal of trust. And that's something we just don't do to each other! I'm sorry, really I am" she concluded, "but that's just how Jac and I work."'

"So, there's nothing you can do, nothing you can tell me?" Jonny asked dejectedly.

Jil shook her head, "Except" she said softly, "that, like I said before, with Jac the hard work REALLY is worth it" She reached over and gave Jonny's hand a gentle squeeze, and smiled at him, "it really, really is!"

Jonny didn't know what to think, part of him wanted to make Jil tell him what she knew somehow, although he could tell that probably only the worst form of torture would get her to divulge anything; part of him was trying to think of ways he could try to find out for himself how wonderful Jac was, he'd never been afraid of a bit of hard work after all; and part of him was just glad that Jac had such a good friend. He and Jil sat in companionable silence for a little while before Jonny suddenly remembered whose seat he had filled. He looked up anxiously, searching for Jac, not for the first time he was grateful for her fiery hair, which always made her easy to spot – she was just paying, waiting for her change. He'd better go – he didn't feel up to withstanding one of her interrogations at the moment, he had so much to think about, he wouldn't be able to put up any sort of defence. "I've got to go" he said to Jil, standing up hurriedly, Jac had just turned away from the cashier and was heading back towards the table. He realised she'd spotted him and could see the questioning look on her face – he had to get out of here, fast. "I'll see you later" he said to Jil, turning away and walking off just as Jac reached the table.

"What was he doing here?" Jac asked suspiciously, putting down the Double Decker she'd just bought in front of her friend.

"He thought he'd upset me – he was trying to clear the air" Jil answered.

"He hasn't has he?" Jac said, looking furiously after Jonny, who was just disappearing through the canteen's swing doors.

"No, no, he didn't" Jil rushed to reassure her friend, "I was just a bit surprised that he didn't seem to realise how wonderful you are, that's all. And he just wanted to know how it is that you're so amazing, that's all."

"And... what did you tell him?"

"That I couldn't say anything because of my vow of silence when it comes to you and your life." Jil replied. "Even though I'd have loved to be able to tell him how and why you're so wonderful."

"You should do it then" Jac said, "if it'd make you happy. After all what harm can a two minute conversation do?"

"Two minutes!" Jil said incredulously, "you really have no idea do you?" She continued, "Are you sure? You'd be happy for me to tell Jonny how amazing you are?"

"Why not?" Jac replied, "It might be nice to have someone in the hospital, other than Sacha, who thinks I'm even human, let alone amazing. Go for it!"

"And I can tell him anything?" Jil asked

"Yep, he'll have heard all the rumours about me and my past anyway so it's probably good that he'll hear the truth from someone who's sympathetic to me, on my side if you know what I mean"

"And you're sure there's nothing you want me to miss out," Jil asked again – she had to be sure.

"No." Jac said definitely. "If you want to tell Jonny how wonderful I am then you should do it, and you can tell him everything."

"Ok then" Jil said, "if you're sure?" Jac nodded. "In that case I might have to write a list – wouldn't want to miss anything about your fabulousness out. Ooh, talking about lists hadn't we better be getting back – didn't you say yours started at 2 o'clock"

"Well yes, but what about your chocolate?" Jac asked.

"It's OK – I can eat and walk" Jil replied, "I'd hate to make you late." And so saying she stood up, picked up the Double Decker, and taking Jac's arm in hers they walked out of the canteen.


	11. Precious

**Sorry this is another short chapter but the next one IS longer and we will be getting to the main point of this fanfic soon I promise...**

* * *

_Friday, 14.04 Consultant's Office, Darwin_

Jac and Jil entered the office to find Elliott knee deep in patient notes – the precarious pile that Jac had noted earlier in the day, finally having given in to the inescapable pull of gravity, and collapsed just moments before. "Oh," Jil commented, "well that clears up that little mystery anyway. We were wondering what that noise was. Are you OK?"

"Yes, yes I'm fine" Elliott replied, distractedly, "although goodness knows how long it'll take me to get all these sorted again – my system's going to be ruined now." Jac and Jil exchanged glances – both thinking, as they often did, exactly the same thing 'System! He calls that a system!' As if he'd read both their minds, Elliott continued, "I mean, I do realise it might not have seemed very systematic but I can assure you both I always knew exactly where everythi…Oh," he stopped mid-sentence, "I'm so sorry how rude of me, with all this" he said indicating the mess around him "I didn't notice you had someone with you Jac." And turning his attention to Jil, he continued, "You must be Jil – Dr Lo's been singing your praises ever since I got back from the university, and Nurse Maconie also seems to have taken quite a shine to you. It's very nice to meet you" he finished, stepping over the notes that surrounded his feet and offering her his hand.

Jil shook it saying, "The pleasure's all mine. I'm so glad I got to meet you – Jac's told me such a lot about you, and I was hoping you'd be back from the uni so I could."

"Jac talks about me?" Elliott asked, sounding surprised.

"Oh yes, she's been telling me all about your artificial heart trial for the past few weeks, it sounds fascinating." Jil replied

"Oh," Elliott said, glancing at Jac, "I had no idea Jac was so enthusiastic about the Hertzig."

Jac gave a characteristic shrug of her shoulders and said smiling, "Well you know me Elliott, I always like to keep people guessing – maintain the air of mystery."

Elliott returned her smile, and addressing Jil continued "Do you have a professional interest in the Hertzig?"

"Oh no, no I'm not a doctor. Well, actually I am, but not a medical one – I've got a doctorate in clinical psychology," she explained. "But, I've been friends with Jac for so long, I suppose an interest in all things cardiac must have rubbed off. And really it just sounds **so** amazing – I don't see how anybody couldn't be fascinated."

"Well," Elliott said proudly, "if you're that interested I could show you our trial version if you'd like?"

"Really," Jil replied enthusiastically, "yes, I'd love to. If you're sure it'd be alright?"

"Oh yes, it'll be fine, it's hardly a secret now we've actually fitted one in our first patient. That is, if it's ok with you Jac, if I borrow your charming companion."

"It's better than OK," Jac replied, "you'd be doing me a massive favour actually – I've got two AVR's to do this afternoon and the first one's due to start in," she looked at her watch, "ooh, eight minutes ago, so I'd better be going. Can't believe they haven't bleeped me yet!" Before she left the office, she turned to Elliott, and said smiling, but with a seriousness in her tone that he recognised well. "You look after her Dr Frankenstein – she's very precious to me."

"You can count on me Miss Naylor," Elliott said, "I've already got an idea of how special she is."

* * *

As Jac hurried down the stairs to Theatre 1 she reflected on the impression her friend had made on her colleagues in the space of half a day. She'd charmed Elliott, was seemingly Tara's second favourite person (after Oli) and had even managed to put a smile on Jonny's face, after he'd been acting so plain weird for the rest of the week. 'I need to find out how she does it,' Jac decided, 'she's captivated the whole ward! Although actually I already know how she does it really' she thought, 'by being completely and absolutely herself. Because let's face it how could anybody not love her!'


	12. Such a difference

_Friday, 15.23. Darwin._

Jac walked down the ward towards her office in a remarkably good mood – Mrs Trume's operation had been more simple than she'd anticipated and she'd left Oli to finish off, and was now ahead of schedule. One down, one to go and then a whole weekend with Jil – what more could a girl want? She hadn't realised quite how much she missed her best friend when she didn't see her, until she'd started to spend more time with her over the past few weeks. Phone calls and emails just weren't the same, and you couldn't get a hug through Skype – modern technology was all very well but sometimes only the real thing would do! She had especially appreciated spending this time with her now – before the baby was born, and all the changes that a little person brought with them, were wrought. Which was why, although she was pleased for Jil that Daniel wouldn't need to go abroad for work soon, she was also disappointed that this also meant she wouldn't have a ready-made excuse to see her anymore. Not that she'd ever needed an excuse – she knew she was always welcome in Jil's house, just like Jil knew that there'd always be a place for her at Jac's table, and a bed, even if it was one they had to share

As she entered her office her eye was drawn to her desk, which today, very unusually, did not just have her computer and phone on it. Jac wandered over to her chair and sat down before slowly working her way, once again, through the pile of objects that adorned her desktop – Jil's promise of presents, had not been an empty one. Balanced precariously on the top of the pile, nestled one on top of another, were two, uneven and brightly decorated, paper mache bowls. Christopher had made them, with Assumpta's help, and then he and Nicholas had each decorated one. Apparently as soon as Jil had told them on Wednesday that she was coming to see her at the weekend, they'd both insisted that she should bring them down with her for their Auntie Jac. Jac thought she'd keep one of the bowls at work – the purple one with yellow and orange splodges – and take the other one (green with red crosses and blue spots) home – she could keep her keys in it. She picked them both up, placing the green bowl aside, and looked around for a place to put the work bowl. It couldn't go on the windowsill, the condensation might reduce it to a pulpy mass and she wouldn't risk that, maybe she could move the plant on the cupboard, but then where would she put that? No, the only possible location, as she'd thought since Jil had first shown them to her in the café this morning, was in pride of place in the centre of her desk. She put it there now – turning it round slowly till it looked just right, there…perfect!

The next thing in the pile was a photo CD, from Assumpta, of Alexander's baptism – really that woman was unnaturally organised. Jac remembered receiving the thank you card for her gift on the Wednesday or Thursday following the service and party on Sunday, and now this – a professional looking CD/DVD combo with an edited video of the service and party and all the best photos that everybody who'd been invited had taken on the day, less than three months after the day! Assumpta was, Jac reflected, like a force of nature – awe-inspiring and a little bit scary, and she understood why Jil didn't really want her to be godmother, because although her heart was in the right place, she did have a tendency to take over and Jil had never, ever been good at taking a back seat.

And then she came to the last present, a small framed picture of Jil's 20 week scan to match the 12 week one she had on the bookcase in her flat already. She picked it up and studied it, smiling, remembering the look on Jil's face when she was lying on the bed gazing at the screen in the ultrasound room holding Daniel's hand – it had seemed like she would literally burst with happiness! Jac hadn't seen her look so happy since the day she'd married Daniel, when she'd beamed from the moment she woke up to (Jac presumed) the moment she'd finally got to sleep, and probably in her sleep too, Jac thought. She remembered how Jil had explained to the radiographer that until the baby was born, she was calling it Robin because she didn't want to know what she was having but didn't want to call it 'it' either, and because of all the unisex names there were she thought Robin was the nicest, much better than Lesley or Francis! Looking at the scan picture now, and thinking of just how longed-for baby Robin was Jac sent up a silent prayer (because it couldn't hurt) to a God she wasn't sure existed (but who she knew Jil believed in) to keep her friend and her unborn baby safe. Because if anything happened to Robin she didn't know what Jil would do, and if anything happened to Jil she didn't know what she would do – it just didn't bear thinking about! 'So stop thinking about it then' she told herself sharply, feeling the panic beginning to build 'everything is going to be OK!' She took a deep breath and then remembered 'Jill promised!' and felt the worry melt away. "Everything is going to be OK – Jil promised!" she repeated, and once again began to smile as she looked at the scan picture in her hand.

She had just put the picture down on her desk when there was a knock at the door, Tara popped her head around the door and said 'Dr Valentine's just phoned up, Mrs Trume's just gone into recovery so it'll be about 15 minutes till there ready for you with Mr Klein."

"Ok thanks," Jac replied, "could you phone back and let them know I'll be down soon."

"Will do" Tara said and left, closing the door behind her.

Jac suddenly realised that she had no idea what she was going to do with Jil for the next hour – then she had a brainwave. She turned back to her computer and looked at today's rotas, to check who was working, she found the name she was searching for 'perfect' she thought 'now all I have to do is find Jil'. As if on cue she heard Elliott outside the door, "I'm so glad you've had such a good time, I must say for a non-cardio person you do seem to have an extraordinarily good grasp of how the heart functions" and as the door opened heard Jil reply,

"Well, I have been friends with Jac for a VERY long time, so something's bound to have rubbed off." Jac, who knew this wasn't the only reason her friend knew so much about the workings of the human heart thought about interrupting and offering a fuller explanation of Jil's expertise, but decided that if Jil didn't want Elliott to know it wasn't her place to tell him. "But I really can't thank you enough for showing me, and explaining it all to me" Jil continued. "Jac," she said turning to face her friend, "this man's a real treasure."

"He is" Jac agreed, smiling "he really is". Noticing how embarrassed Elliott was, she continued "I reckon a knighthood's in the offing, he's already got an O.B.E. you know – Sir Elliott Hope's got a certain ring to it, don't you think?'

Jil, who realised what Jac was doing, shook her head at her and said smiling, "Stop it Jac, "

"What?" Jac asked feigning innocence, "it really does."

"Jac, I said stop it." Jil repeated, continuing, "Take no notice Professor Hope, she's purposely trying to embarrass you, so I really wouldn't give her the satisfaction. Although, I have to agree that you do deserve a knighthood far more than any of those actors or sports people who always seem to be getting them."

"Yes, erm, well thank you" Elliott spluttered, "it's very nice of you to say so. Very nice indeed but" he said desperately trying to change the subject, "now I really do need to get everything organised for my meeting with Mr Hanssen. But it really was delightful to meet you and thank you once again for all your help with my files" he said indicating the neat piles of patient notes on his desk.

"That's OK" Jil said, "it really was my pleasure. Actually I'd been itching to do it all day"

"So that's what's different" Jac exclaimed, "I knew there was something, just couldn't put my finger on it. This has got to be a first – your desk actually looks tidier than mine!" She said, shaking her head in amazement, "but it won't last. You do realise" she said, addressing Jil "that by this time on Monday his desk will be just as untidy as it was this morning"

"Sadly," Elliott agreed, "I fear Jac is probably right – tidiness has never been one of my strong suits I'm afraid."

"But it's tidy now" Jil said, "so let's all just enjoy that and not worry about the mess to come. Actually, we'd better get out of your hair anyway, if you've got stuff to do before your meeting and" she said turning towards Jac, "aren't you meant to be operating now? You can't have done both of them already – not even you're that good!"

"No, number two's just being prepared" Jac answered. "I've got to go down in about ten minutes which will just give me enough time to get you settled. Come on – I've got a plan," she said standing up and heading towards the door

"Alright, alright bossy boots I'm coming" Jil said, following her, pausing before leaving to say "Good luck with your meeting Professor Hope, I hope it goes well, and thanks again for everything."

"That's quite alright" Elliott replied "it really was my pleasure". As the door closed and the voices of the two friends faded, Elliott said quietly, to himself. "Extraordinary, really quite extraordinary" thinking about Jac and Jil, and their relationship, as he did so 'you'd never believe one person could make such a difference!"


	13. Soft and cuddly lover

_Friday, 15.38. Otter Ward Entrance._

"Are you sure about this?" Jil asked, sounding concerned, "I don't want to step on anybody's toes, or get you into trouble"

"Don't be silly" Jac answered, "he'll love you – you're two of a kind. And believe me you can never have too many people to help out on a ward, and you'll be perfect here!" As she said this, she swiped her ID card down the access point and pushed the door of the ward open, holding it open for Jil who followed her through. They both dispensed alcohol gel onto their hands and rubbing them together started walking down the corridor in front of them. Jac spotted the person (or at least the back of his head) she was looking for working on the computer at the nurse's station and as she approached called out "Peter Pan - just the man I was after".

Sean, spun round on his chair and, showing not the least bit of surprise to see her there, replied, without missing a beat "Ah Miss Naylor I've been waiting for you to say that to me since the day we met, so what is it I can do for you – dinner, dancing, maybe even breakfast tomorrow?"

"In your dreams!" Jac retorted.

"Mmmm, most definitely!" Sean agreed, grinning. "But seriously, what really brings you down here – we don't have anyone on the ward who needs a CT consult as far as I know."

"No, I've not come about a patient" Jac replied, continuing, "I have a once in a lifetime, never to be repeated opportunity for you. A fully qualified CAMHS clinical psychologist with well over 10 years of experience working with children ready, willing and able to work on your ward for the next hour and a half for absolutely nothing. I give you my friend Jil" she said, stepping back to reveal Jil who had been standing behind her, and who looking mildly embarrassed smiled at Sean, whilst Jac finished her little speech with the words "Don't say I never do anything for you!"

"Sorry about her" Jil interjected, "she's a little bit hyper today. It's very nice to meet you" she said offering him her hand, "Jac's told me some very good things about you."

"She has?" Sean said, "you do surprise me. Always thought I was much too soft and cuddly for her liking!"

"Oh – you'd be amazed – Jac's got quite a thing for soft and cuddly, not that she'd ever let you know that, obviously, might damage her ice queen image you see" Jil replied.

"Right that's enough time for introductions" Jac interrupted, keen to change the subject, "on to the main business. Will you be OK to have Jil on the ward with you whilst I'm in theatre or not, like I said she's really good with kids, and you'll get on like a house on fire – she's another soft and cuddly type"

"It's why she loves me" Jil interrupted, earning one of Jac's trademark looks, "and don't try that on me," she continued smiling at her friend "cos you KNOW it doesn't work!" Jac who _did_ know this gave up and smiled back,

"Ok, ok, enough already" she said, admitting defeat "but you still haven't answered my question" she said addressing Sean. "Is it ok if Jil stays on the ward or not? You'd be doing me a huge favour – I've got one last operation to do before we can go home, it should take an hour and a half tops but I really need somewhere to put her till then, and there's no-one on Darwi….."

"Jeez Jac" Jil interrupted once more, "it's lucky I know you love me. You don't half have a way with words – you need somewhere to **put me**, PUT ME! I'm not an old sock you know. Honestly! But she's right" she continued, looking at Sean, "I do need somewhere to go and I'd be happy to do anything. If you've got anything that needs cleaning or tidying I'm your woman. I've been CRB checked and everything, even have my NHS ID in here somewhere" she said, rummaging through her handbag. "Ah, here it is," she said pulling out the badge complete with its familiar blue lanyard, "so what do you say?"

"How could I refuse?" Sean asked. "Miss Naylor's wish is my command" he said smiling. "Plus, if I do her a favour, then she'll owe me one, won't she, and I know how useful that might prove to be! Don't worry," He continued, addressing Jac, "off you go and work your cardiac surgeon magic, I'll look after her."

"Make sure you do!" Jac said, before turning and walking towards the ward door. She'd gone a few paces when she turned back and retraced her steps to where they were still standing, and addressing Sean said, "And anything she says about me" she said indicating Jil, "you have to take with a pinch of salt. I can't imagine why, but she labours under the same false impression that you do - that I'm nice; and the same goes for you with him" she continued, addressing Jil. "Pinches of salt all round, OK!" she finished. And with that she turned round and walked off the ward leaving Jil in Sean's very capable hands.

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**Sorry this is such a short chapter but I thought the next part needed a new one. Please keep the reviews coming**


	14. Lessons in niceness

**So here is the next chapter – Hi-World, not a hill (and no pail either I'm afraid) but some stairs which is the closest I think I can get within the confines of the hospital!...**

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_Friday, 17.12. Stairwell_

Jac and Jil climbed slowly, side by side, up the stairs to the sixth floor. Jac wasn't really happy about this, but Jil had insisted, arguing that gentle exercise was good for her, and that she could really do with some now. Jac's last operation of the day had gone off uneventfully, and she'd once again left Oli to finish up, before going to collect Jil from Otter ward. She'd found her in the ward playroom, surrounded by a small group of pyjama-wearing children, playing with the huge box of Lego that seemed to be standard issue kit on every Paeds ward Jac had ever been on. Jac watched her friend for a moment or two – enjoying the sight and unwilling to disturb her when she was obviously having such a good time. She was reminded of how, all those years ago when Jil had first mentioned clinical psychology as a possible career, she had been so sure that she'd be good at it. She saw now that that certainty had been well-founded – there was something effortless about the way Jil was relating to the children she was playing with, and Jac knew that the children of Hilllingdon were very lucky to have her working with them. A few minutes later, however, Jac was wondering if Jil's affinity with children was actually such a good thing after all: the one thing she hadn't factored in to the equation when deciding that the children's ward was a good place for Jil to spend some time, was quite how difficult it would be to get her away from the children, who had, it would seem, along with everybody else Jil had met today, fallen in love with her. In the end she'd had to enlist Sean's help (which meant she owed him another favour) and even then it was only by bribing them with the promise of chocolate sponge for pudding, that he'd eventually managed to secure her friend's release. It was the effect Jil had had on everyone in the hospital they were currently discussing.

"I don't get it" Jac said.

"Get what?" Jil asked

"How you're so nice all the time – it's just not natural. I mean, you've been here, what, just about six hours and you've already got more people to like you than I have in over six years!"

"But Jac – like I've been telling you for all of those six years, and more besides, it's easy to be liked, especially when you work in the NHS. And anyway, I'm not nice all the time and you don't have to be, you just have to _appear _to be nice some of the time, and that's really easy to do."

"Alright then, seeing as you're such an expert at this niceness malarkey," Jac said, "how do you do it?"

"Firstly, you have to mind your P's and Q's," Jil answered. "Just saying please and thank you goes an awful long way when you're working with people." She saw the sceptical look on Jac's face – the raised eyebrow was always a give-away, but continued undaunted. "Look, manners might cost nothing but they're **really **important, and I'm sure if everyone was a bit more polite to each other there wouldn't be half the problems there are in the world today. It shows respect you see, if you're polite to someone, and everyone likes to be shown respect – makes them feel valued, which makes them like the person who's being polite to them, you see?"

"Mmm, maybe," Jac said, not sounding totally convinced, "suppose I could maybe try being a bit more polite. "OK, what else?"

"In a word, biscuits." Jil said, "in two words, chocolate biscuits."

Jac who had never expected her friend to say anything like that, stopped dead, with one foot on the next stair and said incredulously. "Pardon!"

Jil who had continued with her ascent of the stairs, stopped turned round towards her friend smiling "I said biscuits," she repeated, "and more specifically chocolate biscuits." She continued, into the stunned silence her pronouncement had caused, "although really any food you provide is almost guaranteed to win you points on both the likeability and niceness scales"

"What in God's name are you on about?" Jac asked, genuinely bewildered by, to her mind, the surreal turn their conversation had taken.

"I don't think there's any need to bring Him, or maybe Her, into it Jac," chided Jil gently, continuing, both with walking up the stairs and her speech. "I am on about, as you so eloquently put it, the fact that, having worked in the NHS for more years than I care to remember I know that, at its heart, it runs on cups of tea and chocolate biscuits. So all you have to do to win friends and influence people, in a _good_" she stressed "way, is to occasionally bring some biscuits in. Although, really most foodstuffs are generally welcome – biscuits, cakes, chocolate, nice fruit like grapes or strawberries, not that I like strawberries," she said, on a tangent, "but most people do. Or you could bring in some posh coffee and hot chocolate for the staff room, or do a drinks run at the café or, I don't know, order pizza in for everyone when you're next on a night shift. The possibilities are endless, and therefore, so are the opportunities to be seen to be nice."

"So you're telling me that all I need to do to be liked is bring in a couple of packets of biscuits every now and again?" Jac, who had by this time also resumed climbing the stairs, and was catching up with Jil, asked incredulously.

"No that wouldn't be all you'd need to do, but it'd definitely help." Jil clarified, and then remembering something continued, "ooohh but what would be even better is if you made a batch of your legendary flapjacks and brought them in for everybody. People just LOVE home-made cakes!"

"Legendary?" Jac said, as she fell back into step with Jil "I really don't think my flapjacks could be called that."

"You wanna bet!" Jil exclaimed, "Mum's still mad with Dad because he told Uncle Tony they were the best things he'd ever eaten and the boys just love them. They went on and on about them so much, literally raving about how good they were, after the last time you were down and baked them, that Assumpta, bless her, made some herself. And I know it's not funny," she said, the large grin she was wearing belying her words, "but you should have seen her face when Christopher said 'They're very nice mummy, but not as delicious as Auntie Jac's' it was such a picture!"

"Really?" Jac asked, amazed. "Wow, I'd never have thought I could out-do Assumpta on any sort of domestic task, I mean it's just not really me is it?"

"Well, obviously you have hidden talents that even you don't know about." Jil said. "Which brings me on to the easiest thing of all that you can do to be liked which involves the use of your secret weapon."

"Secret weapon….right" Jac said, uncertainly, "…..it must be a very well-kept secret seeing as how I have no idea what it is!

"Oh Jac," Jil said, managing to convey her amazement at her friends lack of knowledge in those two words, "it's literally, well almost, blindingly obvious"

"Not to me" Jac said, "really!"

"Your smile Jac" Jil replied simply, "your smile! You could stop traffic with it if you put your mind to it, so I can't see how a few doctors and nurses could resist it if you turned it on with them! Really, that's all you'd need to do sweetheart, just smile. Dazzle them!" As she made this pronouncement the two friends reached the sixth floor and pushing the swing doors at the top of the stairs open entered the corridor outside Darwin.

"So you're trying to tell me," Jac said, pausing just before they reached the ward doors "that people would go weak at the knees if I smiled at them?" The scepticism was evident in her voice, but had absolutely no effect on Jil who answered.

"I absolutely guarantee it! Psychologically speaking it's very difficult for people not to smile back when someone smiles at them, and the act of smiling makes then get that warm, fuzzy feeling, you always_ pretend_ you hate so much, which in turn increases their regard for the person who smiled at them in the first place. It's a positive feedback loop you see" she explained. "Look we can test it out now – I want you to smile, a proper smile mind, at the first person you see when we get on to the ward. OK?"

"Alright." Jac acceded, "I'll try it, but I have to tell you I think you're talking rubbish! Dazzle them my foot!" And so saying, she pushed open the doors of the ward, and holding them open for Jil, followed her in. Walking down the corridor she spotted Mo coming the other way, 'this is going to be too easy' she thought, 'Mo'll never be won over with a smile, especially not by me!' Confident that this encounter would blow Jil's ridiculous theory out of the water, she prepared herself and said, smiling as she did so "Hey Mo, how did your CABG go today?"

Mo looked slightly surprised at the question, but responded, also smiling, "Erm yeah, it went well, thanks for asking." She continued walking towards the door, puzzlement evident on her face, and after a few steps stopped and turned round to say, "I'm going down to the café to get a drink – do you want anything?"

"No. No thanks." Jac said, genuinely stunned by Mo's reaction, "erm, we'll be going soon hopefully. I've just got to wait till Mr Klein comes up from recovery."

"OK," Mo said, "well if I don't see you before you go, have a good weekend."

"Yes, thanks" Jac said, "you too."

"See I told you," Jil said triumphantly, as they watched Mo leave the ward. "All you need to do is dazzle them with that smile of yours and they'll think you're the best thing since sliced bread!" And taking her friend's arm and wearing a fairly dazzling smiling herself she turned Jac round and steered her towards her office.


	15. Complex to the nth degree

**SaveTheWorldGetTheGirl – please feel free to print off the tips for being liked – they've always worked for me….it is amazing how much goodwill a couple of packets of chocolate biscuits can engender (particularly in the NHS), although smiling and being polite are probably more important!**

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_Friday, 17.21. Consultant's Office, Darwin_

"You're going to be insufferable all weekend now aren't you?" Jac said from behind her desk, as she packed her bag ready to go home.

"Mmm, maybe," Jil answered from the sofa. "I haven't decided yet" she teased, "if you're extra-specially nice to me tonight I might just be slightly obnoxious about the whole thing"

"Marvellous!" Jac retorted, stopping what she was doing and looking over at Jil from her chair. "But seriously I **am **impressed. I mean Mo of all people, I never thought for one second your 'just smile' thing would work on her – she hates me!"

"Like I said," Jil answered, "you can't resist the power of a positive feedback loop. Besides which," she added, "she doesn't hate you."

"Could have fooled me" Jac said, "she does a really good impression of someone who can't stand my guts!"

"No – I definitely wouldn't say hate" Jil considered, "I think she's a bit scared and more than a little jealous of you." Seeing the disbelieving look on Jac's face (the raised eyebrows had it again) she continued. "I think she's worried that she's losing Jonny to you, and she's obviously not used to sharing him. I get the impression he's not normally up for deep and meaningful relationships, more of a 'love the one you're with' kind of guy and I think that now she can see how serious he is about you…"

"Serious," Jac exclaimed, interrupting, "Jonny doesn't know the meaning of the word"

"and now she can see how serious he is about you," Jil persisted, giving Jac one of her own looks, and ignoring her interruption, "I think she's feeling a bit insecure about where she fits in. You remember how I was when you were with Marcus?"

"Yes, I do," Jac agreed, "but I'm not sure that's a particularly good comparison. You were right to be worried when I was with him, so should I have been."

"Mmm, fair point" Jil conceded, "Ok then – how about how you felt when I was going out with Tom?"

"That waste of space!" Jac exclaimed, "I hated it, but not because I was insecure about us, he just wasn't good enough for you! Wait…..are you trying to say that you think Mo thinks I'm not good enough for Jonny?" she asked

"No, no of course not!" Jil rushed to reassure her friend, "although it wouldn't surprise me if she was worried that you might hurt him. Cos that's what best friends do isn't it? Worry about each other," she continued. "You know that as well as I do."

"Mmm, I suppose so." Jac admitted reluctantly, "although I can't help thinking it'd be easier if she did just hate me! Why does everything have to be so complicated?"

"Ahh, the million dollar question," Jil said, "I suppose it's because people are, and when you put two complicated things together the complexity increases exponentially, and when you have three or more, well it gets to be complex to the nth degree, I suppose."

"So, basically what you're saying," Jac said, "is that if I want a simple life I should go and be a hermit."

"Pretty much," Jil agreed, "but I don't think you'd like it sweetie. There'd be no-one to tell you how nice your shoes are for a start. And," she continued, "I'd miss you too much and just keep pestering you anyway!"

"Honestly," Jac retorted, "pass me the sick bucket!" but her smile belied her words, and Jil knew that she was secretly pleased. "Well, there's no way this" said Jac (who had begun packing her bag again) holding up Christopher's bowl "is going to fit in my bag. Is it OK if you look after it till I've got the car?"

"Course," Jil replied, "chuck it over here. Not literally though!" she added hurriedly.

"Yeah – cos I was really going to throw something that's basically made of soggy paper that's dried out at you!" Jac retorted.

"Ooohh, snarky puss!" Jil replied

"And that's quite enough of that too" Jac continued, "I am not snarky!"

"You so are" Jil insisted.

"Am not"

"Are

"Am no…" Their good-natured squabbling was interrupted by a knock at the door and then a moment later, Oli popped his head round the door to say:

"Just to let you know Mr Klein's just on his way up now. Everything went fine after you left and I've just let his wife know. Do you want me to write the operation notes up?"

"Yes please, that'd be great." Jac replied.

"OK, I'll go and do that now," Oliver said, "Oh, and sorry for interrupting you" he continued looking from Jac to Jil

"It's Ok" Jil replied, "actually you can help me and Jac settle an argument"

"Oh?"

Jac who could see where this conversation was heading, and the mischievous look on her friend's face, said softly "Jil" and shook her head.

Jil, seeing this action and how eager Oli looked to help, thought better of her idea, and said, because she honestly didn't want Oli to feel uncomfortable "Actually, no it's OK, I suppose some arguments are best left unsettled. To run and run, so to speak."

"Erm yes, I suppose, maybe" Oli said uncertainly, hurriedly continuing, "If there's nothing else I'll go and write those notes?"

"No that's it, thanks" Jac assured him. "Oh, and by the way well done today – Dr Rose was very complimentary about how you finished up with Mrs Trume. If you keep this up we'll make a CT surgeon of you yet, Dr Valentine!"

"Oh, right erm thanks." Oli managed to splutter out, almost stunned into silence. "I'll just go and do those notes"

"Ok, I'll see you Monday then" Jac said, "bright and early!"

"Yeah, of course" Oli replied, adding, just before he closed the door "Have a nice weekend." To which, Jac and Jil replied in unison, even though he wouldn't be able to hear them.

"We will" and smiled at each other.

"Right," Jil said, "does that mean you can go? That's what we were waiting for wasn't it – that patient to come up?"

"Mmm hmmm, I just need to shut down my computer and then I'll be ready. Are you sure you don't want to stay up here and wait for me to come back with the car? You could you know, it'd be no trouble!"

"No," Jil replied, getting up slowly from the sofa, "if I'm downstairs I can indulge in some good old-fashioned people watching, and you know how much I love that. Can we go down the stairs? I think I need a bit more exercise"

"Of course, you ok?" Jac replied, concern evident in her voice.

"Mmm," Jil reassured her, "it's just obviously not a good idea for me to sit on little chairs, like there were in that playroom anymore. Think I've seized up"

"Never mind seizing up," Jac replied "surely the greatest danger is that they'd break under your enormous weight."

"Enough of the fat jokes already" Jil said, "you're meant to be being extra-specially nice to me, don't forget! You're really not doing very well at all so far – you do know how smug I can be when I put my mind to it! Insufferable doesn't even begin to cover it! "

"You, smug, never" Jac retorted, switching off her computer screen after shutting it down. "Right, you ready to go?"

"Yep, ready, willing and able" Jil replied. "Do you want me to take that for you" she said indicating Christopher's bowl, which Jac had put back down on her desk "or are you going to leave it here?"

"Oh yes, thanks" Jac said, passing the bowl to Jil to put into her holdall, continuing "right, I'll take that" and holding out her hand to carry the bag.

"Ok" Jil said, handing it to her, "that's more like it. You see Jac, it's easy to be nice when you put your mind to it!"

"Yeah, yeah" Jac replied, "have you got everything?" Jil looked round the office and nodded, "OK then, let's go." Jac continued, opening and holding the office door for Jil. As they passed the nurse's station, Jil waved to both Mo and Oli who were both sitting there, and called out,

"Bye, it was nice meeting you – maybe see you again sometime" before continuing down the corridor with Jac. "Do you know where Jonny is?" she asked, as they reached the doors.

"He was on an early today, so should have finished at 4," Jac answered, "so he's probably at home by now. Why?"

"Oh, I was just thinking if he was here I could tell him about your wonderfulness, that's all. It's OK, I'll just have to tell him some other time, I suppose"


	16. Are you sitting comfortably?

_Friday, 17.34 Main Reception_

"Are you sure you'll be OK here?" Jac asked for the third time, as Jil settled down into one of the comfy seats in reception.

"I'll be fine" Jil replied, the exasperation she was feeling starting to show through, "you know how much I love people-watching – it feeds my natural curiosity."

"Nosiness more like" Jac retorted, "and you're sure you don't want anything from the café."

"Not unless you want to have to stop beside a large bush on the way home"

"But you've only just been!" Jac objected.

"Yes, and my bladder capacity's not what it was with Robin in there too" Jil said, stroking her bump.

"Uww," Jac said, wrinkling her nose, "that's way too much information."

"Just you wait, one day you too will have to ration what and when you drink, to fit in with the availability of toilets because you've got a little person bothering your bladder"

"Yeah right" Jac replied.

"And **when** you do," Jil continued, ignoring the interruption, " I'll remind you of this conversation. Anyway, you're a surgeon – you shouldn't be squeamish about anything!"

"Yep, but I'm not an urologist am I." Jac exclaimed, "There's a reason I chose C.T."

"Yes, and we both know it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the only bodily fluid you'd probably have to deal with is blood, don't we?" Jil said.

"Mmm, yes well," Jac prevaricated, "Anyway, if you're sure you'll be OK here, I'll go and get the car. I'm not sure how long I'll be, depends on the traffic, but I'll be as fast as I can."

"You will not!" Jil said sternly, "you have to promise me you will not speed on that bike Jac. I don't want you doing anything dangerous just to get back here a few minutes earlier. I mean it."

"I won't – don't worry" Jac replied.

"But I do," Jil countered, "and I will unless you promise me."

"Oh alright," Jac gave in, "I promise I won't speed on the way home. Satisfied?"

"Yes, absolutely!" Jil answered, smiling, "You know it's only because I love you though, right? I don't know what I'd do if you had another accident."

"Oh Jil – that was a one-off, and it was years ago as well."

"Yes, and I can still remember how sick I felt when I got the phone call from the hospital to tell me. I don't think my nerves could take another trip up the M4 like that again. It was awful!"

"Ok, ok, enough of the guilt trip already, I get it." Jac relented, "I promise I won't do anything dangerous on my way home"

"Or on the way back," Jil said quickly.

"Or on the way back" Jac repeated, "of course I can't do anything about the other drivers on the road, you understand" she continued "so theoretically I could still be squashed by a bus even if _I'm_ driving as safely as safe can be."

"Jac!" Jil said, sharply, "you shouldn't even joke about things like that. Honestly, you've made me feel all funny now" she continued, and shivered, as if to emphasise her point.

"Alright, alright I'm sorry" Jac said, "but I thought we'd agreed there'd be no more guilt tripping."

"No, **you** said that – I didn't agree!" Jil explained, continuing "I'd never agree to that – guilt tripping is one of the things I'm best at"

"You can say that again" Jac agreed, "but please don't." She continued quickly, as she saw Jil smiling and preparing to speak, "I'll never get home at this rate, and I've been looking forward to tonight all week!"

"Really?"

"Yep," Jac replied, "since I saw how clean your house was last week I've got a whole list of chores lined up for you, and there's a huge pile of ironing that needs doing."

"Right, that does it" Jil said, smiling "unless you're unbelievably nice to me for the rest of the evening I will be turning my smugness to its highest setting for the rest of the weekend, and you know how annoying that will be for you."

"Yes, yes I do," Jac admitted "alright, unbelievably nice from now on it is then! So can I go?"

"Of course, and Jac" Jil continued, her expression becoming serious "you **will** drive carefully won't you."

"Yes I will" Jac said simply, continuing, her expression also serious "I don't have any choice do I – I promised."

"OK – I'll be here." Jil said, "or, if I'm not, I'll be in the little girl's room because Robin's decided that playing football with my bladder is a good way to spend the evening."

"And again," Jac said "way too much information! But thanks for letting me know"

"Well I wouldn't want you thinking I'd been kidnapped by aliens or something."

"Oh, I'd never think that" Jac replied without missing a beat "they'd never be able to lift you up with one of their tractor beams now– you're far too heavy."

"Unbelievably nice Jac – remember" Jil said, smiling, despite a real effort on her part to keep a straight face and look stern, "You'd better go before you say something else you'll regret later!"

"Ok, I'm going, I'm going" Jac said, also smiling. "I'll see you soon" and with that she bent down to give her friend a quick hug and left through the automatic doors, turning once when she was outside to wave. Jil waved back and followed her progress, offering a short prayer up to St Christopher as she did so, until she could no longer see her and then waited till Jac drove past the window on her bike before settling down to some sustained and serious people watching.

* * *

She hadn't been watching for very long when she saw someone coming out of the lifts that she really wasn't expecting to – Jonny. He saw her and smiling came over to where she was sitting, "Hello again, you waitin' for Jac?"

"Erm, yes" Jil replied "she's gone home to pick up the car. Apparently she doesn't think it's a good idea for me to ride home on her motorbike, can't think why! Actually, she thought you'd be at home by now – weren't you on an early?"

"Yep, I was but unpaid overtime's one of the perks of my job! One of the agency nurses didn't turn up for her late shift, so the ward was short-staffed until they sent another one." Jonny replied

"So you stepped in to save the day," Jil surmised, "that's so nice!"

"Yeah, that's me – Darwin's knight in shinin' armour" Jonny joked. "Actually, I wasn't too bothered – I'm meant to be having drinks with Mo tonight, and she's got a stack of paperwork almost as tall as she is to finish off, so spending a bit more time at work means I won't have to be Billy-no-mates at the bar for quite so long."

"Oh, so that's what Mo needed the caffeine hit for." Noticing the confused look on Jonny's face she explained, "she said she was going down to the café when we were leaving"

"Oh right – yeah that'll be why. Although I think she might need more than caffeine to get through that lot – reckon she's got at least an hour's worth to do, if not more." Jonny said.

"Oooh, does that mean you've got time to kill?" Jil asked.

"I suppose, why what you thinkin'?" Jonny asked. "I'm not sure Jac'd be too pleased if I took you over to Albie's, even if I did just buy you an orange juice!"

Jil smiled, and agreeing said, "No she definitely wouldn't be impressed. No, actually I was thinking that if you've got time I could tell you all about Jac's wonderfulness."

"But, I thought you said you couldn't," Jonny said.

"Oh well, I told Jac about our conversation at lunchtime, explained how much I wanted to and she said I could" Jil explained.

"You asked her?" Jonny said, amazement evident in her voice.

"Yes" Jil said sounding puzzled, "I find that's the best way when you want to know the answer to a question. So, do you have time?"

"Do I?" Jonny asked, "Is Sean Connery the best Bond?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure anymore" Jil answered smiling, "Daniel Craig is pretty darn good! But I take it that's a yes"

"Oh yeah baby – definitely a yes from me." Jonny answered. "Ok then," Jil said, "You'll need to sit down," she continued, indicating the seat next to her, "this is going to take some time"...

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**Sorry about the cliff-hangerish ending, but the next part really does need a new chapter. Please keep the reviews coming - I**** love to know what people think**


	17. Then I'll begin

**So, we've finally made it to the supposed point of this fanfic. Sorry, I had absolutely no idea it would take me so long to get to this point. Thanks to everyone who's stuck with this story – hope you think it's worth the wait! Please keep your reviews coming. Enjoy…**

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"Right," Jil said, after Jonny had settled in to the seat next to her" you wanted to know how I know Jac is extraordinary, yes?" Jonny nodded. "Well, I suppose I'll have to start somewhere then, and as Julie Andrews would sing I should probably 'start at the very beginning, a very good place to start'" She looked at Jonny to see if he'd got the musical reference, it appeared from the nonplussed expression on his face that he hadn't. "Not a 'Sound of Music' fan then?" she surmised. He shook his head. "That's a shame – it's one of mine and Jac's guilty pleasures, snuggling up on the sofa at Christmas to watch the Von Trapp family do their thing. Sorry," she said, shaking her head "I do have a tendency to go off at tangents, just tell me if it gets too annoying, OK. Now where was I? Oh yes….starting at the very beginning…"

"Well, Jac and my beginning began when she rescued me from the nursery bully who was throwing wooden bricks at me from the top of the slide!"

"Well," interrupted Jonny, "I was not expecting you to say that! What did she do? No, don't tell me – I bet she tipped the slide over with said bully still on it"

Jil shook her head, and said confusion evident in her voice, "No!"

"Then she must have cut him, or her, down to size with a sarcastic comment"

"We were three!" Jil reminded him, "so not that either. Actually," she continued, not wanting to give Jonny a chance to make another stupid suggestion, "her solution was brilliant in its simplicity – she just put up one of those huge golf umbrellas the nursery had for when it rained and we both sat under it. So the bricks just bounced off the umbrella, which also had the added benefit of attracting the nursery assistant's attention – I have no idea what they were doing before hand – but they certainly did something about it afterwards. I think he might even have got a slap round his legs, or perhaps he was just sent to the naughty corner, I can't really remember. But whatever happened to him, from that point on Jac and I were best friends, and we've been rescuing each other at regular intervals ever since. And then, just before we started school she moved into a house just across the road from me – so from then on we were almost inseparable!"

"Wow" Jonny said "so you really know her well then?"

"Yep, about as well as anyone can know another person I suppose." Jil replied. "Well enough to know she's extraordinary at any rate!"Jil continued, "but what to tell you now to prove it to you too. Hmmmm…OK, I'll tell you about the girl who knew from before I met her that she wanted to be a doctor. At first it was doctor by day, ballerina by night but" she said quickly, attempting to ward off the question Jonny looked as if he was going to ask, "that's a **whole** different story for another time. I have no idea where the idea came from but it stuck, and despite all the obstacles that life threw at her, she achieved it – which is pretty phenomenal when you consider what she had to contend with. Which of course," she said "you don't really know about yet. Sorry, I'm jumping ahead of myself – need to get back on track. Ok, I'll tell you about the girl who when we were 7 and found out that I had a heart problem which would need surgery at some point in the future, said to my mum, 'Don't worry Mrs Santini – I'll become a heart surgeon and fix Jil's heart for you'. Or the girl who when we were 6, and her mother banned us from seeing each other.."

"What!" Jonny interrupted. "she banned you from seeing each other"

"Don't ask!" Jil replied.

"But why on earth would she…"

"No Jonny really, don't ask," Jil repeated "it's no good for my blood pressure – still makes me so angry even now. You see."

"Do you want me to get you anything" Jonny asked, concerned. "A glass of water or something."

"No, no thank you." Jil replied, "a couple of deep breaths ought to do it…but thanks for the offer. Where was I? Oh yes – the 6 year old girl who when we were banned from seeing each other devised a system that enabled us to communicate by switching on and off the lights in our bedrooms. It was really complicated and she'd written it all down in little code books for us – I just used to switch mine on and off a couple of times actually, it was a bit too complex for me but it's just amazing when I think back now how she even thought of it! Luckily we didn't have to use it for very long."

"So her mum lifted the ban then?" Jonny said.

"Yes – about the only time her inconsistency was of any benefit to Jac."

"You really don't like her mum do you?" Jonny said.

"No – not at all, for reasons which I'm sure will become clear, and it's really quite rare for me to even dislike anyone, but her – her I detest!" Jil replied, her words full of barely repressed venom, and her dark eyes blazing "she is without a doubt the worst person I have ever had the misfortune to meet." Jil noticed how shocked Jonny looked and continued, "sorry, it's just it makes me so angry that Jac had her for a mother, and believe me I'm using that term in the loosest possible sense of the world. Hopefully you'll see why as I go on. Right a couple more deep breaths probably needed here. Actually," she continued, regaining her composure, "do you want to get yourself a drink? It's just, we're going to be here for a while, because I've got a lot to say on the topic of Jac's extraordinariness, and I'd hate to think of you being thirsty. Also, a little break would probably help me calm down a bit more, which would no doubt be good for me"

"Ok, actually I could do with a drink," Jonny said, standing up "can I get you anything?"

"No," Jil replied, "better not, although actually, could you see if they'll do me just a cup of hot water, please?"

"Hot water?" Jonny asked.

"Mmm – nowhere near as nice as tea, but it is warm and wet, which is all I need at the moment." Jil said, smiling.

"Ok, I'll ask." Jonny promised and walked over to the café, which, miracle of miracles, had no queue.

He returned a few minutes later brandishing two cups and wearing a wide smile. "Success" he said, holding up one of the cups, before handing it to Jil "the woman behind the counter gave me a bit of a strange look, but I've got your hot water."

"Thanks," Jil said,

"Did the time out help?" Jonny asked, sitting down "are you feeling a bit calmer now?"

"Much" Jil answered, "I'm feeling like myself again, so thank you, and thank you for the hot water too."

"It was my pleasure" Jonny said, smiling "anything for a damsel in distress"

"Well," Jil replied, "I won't be getting distressed for a while now– telling you how wonderful Jac is will definitely be a good thing, so you can put your shining armour away for a bit now. Now, where did I get up to?"

"You were telling me about Jac's fantastic light-based communication system," Jonny reminded her.

"Oh yes, that's right." Jil said. "So now I need to tell you about the 7 year-old girl who when she, despite being the best reader in our class, didn't get the part of the narrator that she wanted in our Nativity play, literally stole the show as the Angel Gabriel. Or the girl who spent four hours, when we were 13, trying to get the chewing gum that Selina Patten had put in my hair out. And managed to keep me from going totally hysterical about it – my hair was my crowning glory you see and my mum had gone out shopping, so it was just me and Jac till she got home. Or the girl who was 12 when her mum put her in to care and left to find herself in India, after telling Jac that her granddad was dead, and her dad that she was taking Jac with her." Jonny's eyes widened in shock, "You did know Jac was in care right?" Jil asked.

"Yeah," he said, "Sacha mentioned it but I had no idea about the rest of it. I mean, how could anyone do that to a child? And why would you?"

"I have no idea" Jil replied, "but I'm guessing you're beginning to understand why I despise Jac's mother so much, and that's not even the worst of it. That comes later." She promised. "But before that I need to tell you about the girl who kneed Darren Jameson, who was meant to be going out with me, in the unmentionables when she caught him kissing Casssie Worthing at our lower sixth disco. She gave Cassie a slap for good measure too." Jil said smiling at the memory, and then her smile faded as she continued. "Or the girl who had the courage to tell me that she thought my boyfriend of 4½ years, the man I honestly believed I was going to marry and spend the rest of my life with, was cheating on me because she had seen him kissing another woman in the lobby of a hotel after she'd finished her night shift, when she knew he'd told me he was working. And who then put up with me raging at her for a couple of hours about how she'd never liked him, and how she must have been mistaken, and how I was sure there was an explanation. And who then just hugged me when I finally accepted the truth and cried and cried and cried for hours, and who helped me to start to get over him by organising a "Terrible Tom" party, where all my friends got together and bitched about him! Or the girl who" Jil said, smiling again, "told me within 5 minutes of meeting him, he'd literally just said hello really before going to the bar to get us some drinks, that my Daniel was a keeper, and when I told her that we were engaged was so happy she cried. Or the girl who worked 4 straight weeks of night's on-call so she could come wedding dress shopping with me on the weekends in between. And who then paid for my dream dress when I eventually found it, because there was no way we were going to be able to afford it. Never told me either – the first I knew about it was when the shop phoned me to arrange some dates for fittings. Or the girl who worked three jobs whilst she was doing her A-levels, **and** almost single-handedly helped me to pass my Chemistry A-level, **and** still got the second highest results of anyone in the whole of London. She won the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson prize too, which helped to fund her through university. Do you know how rare it is for kids from care to get any qualifications, let alone go to university to study medicine?" Jil asked, looking at Jonny who appeared startled by the intensity in her voice. "No, sorry of course you don't," Jil said, trying to modulate her tone slightly, "why would you? But, well it's much rarer than it should be, and going to uni – it's almost unheard of, which makes Jac's achievements even more, well, extraordinary, I suppose, sticking to the theme of the evening. Especially when you consider that she survived the relationship from hell whilst she was at medical school. Seriously, I'm not sure he wasn't actually a psychopath, but at the very least he was a controlling bully who made her life miserable – she even had her hair cut for him, that's how much power he had over her by the end. But there was still a spark of Jac-ness there – because when he got violent, just the once, she got out. We were due to go out for the evening, and he didn't want her to, so when she wouldn't back down, because she didn't want to let me down, he grabbed her by the throat and threatened to cut it if she ever disagreed with him again. And then he just left, obviously assuming that would be enough to keep her where he wanted her. But it wasn't because she phoned me and said she had to leave him, and when I got there she was already waiting for me with her stuff and we just went, left his ring and the keys on the table and just walked out of the door and never looked back. Or the girl who survived being raped not long after that and went through the whole process of reporting it and going to court and testifying only to have him get off on a technicality – something somebody hadn't done properly . Or the girl who was nearly raped again – by one of her patients here in those gardens out there, and this time refused to report it to the police, which turned out to be a very bad decision. Because when the patient came back and was stabbed and died in the hospital Jac was arrested for his murder, it wasn't her – some young girl he'd attacked earlier in the day did it. But even that was a double-edged sword, because it gave Jac another stick to beat herself up with, which she's very good at, because if she'd reported him in the first place he'd have been in prison and out of harm's way " Jil looked up and saw Jonny's face - he looked shell-shocked – and concerned asked, "Are you OK? Is this too much? I can stop if you want me to, it is quite a lot to take in at one go. Sorry!"

"Don't be" Jonny said, "You're right it is a lot to take in but I think I need to – if I'm ever going to understand Jac I need to know this stuff, don't I? It's just, I had no idea she'd been through so much, it seems like such a lot for one person"

"It is, and there's more" Jil said, "but if you're sure you want me to carry on, I should probably give the heavy stuff a break for bit, yeah?" Jonny nodded, and Jil continued. "So I'll tell you about the girl who bakes the best flapjacks I've ever tasted – and believe me I've tasted a lot. Or the girl who is so good with my nephews that it's almost enough to make me jealous. Do you have any idea how dispiriting it is to trek all the way over to the other side of London to be greeted by two little boys who's first question, after asking if I've got them any presents, is nearly always either 'Why isn't Auntie Jac with you?' or 'When's Auntie Jac coming next?' You seem surprised" Jil said, reading Jonny's expression, "Have you ever seen Jac with kids?"

"No," Jonny answered, "well once, but only very briefly" he corrected himself, remembering her holding William before she'd handed him over to Sorcha.

"Well – she's really got a knack with them" Jil said, "she can nearly always get babies to stop crying, and well like I said my nephews think she's the best thing – well, ever, I think. I mean, the flapjacks help obviously, and the fact that she rides a motorbike doesn't hurt either, but they just _adore her_. Like I said, if it was anybody else I'd be jealous. Or the girl, who when my sister-in-law kept being told by her GP that she was an anxious first-time mother, when she kept taking my eldest nephew to see her, went with Assumpta to her next appointment and got Christopher an expedited appointment with a Consultant Paediatrician which showed that he had an inguinal hernia, which explained all the crying and was very easily fixed! Or I can tell you about the girl who, when we were on holiday in Spain to celebrate her finishing medical school, staged a sit-in in the office of the director of Madrid's main hospital, to get me medi-vacced back home. Literally, point blank refused to move until he organised it, just kept saying 'She's ill, we need to go home' over and over again. And she was right – I was ill and did need, as it turned out, specialist help on the way home – which luckily for me, and thanks to her, was a medi-vac flight. Or the girl who, when she should have been revising for her FRCS exams, spent 2½ days sitting in ITU with my parents after I collapsed, thereby making me, so I'm told, the only patient who wasn't dying, who's ever had three visitors when they were on ITU in the history of the Royal Brompton. And despite those lost 2½ days, not to mention all the rest of the time she spent with me when I was there, the girl who still got the fourth highest results in the country in her exams. But even though she is naturally brilliant, I can tell you about the girl who just works so hard – the hours she spends practicing in that wet lab, the reading she does, the preparations for every single operation she makes – it's just phenomenal, and she's always been like that. She was far and away the cleverest person in our schools but she'd always be the one who worked hardest too – spent the most time revising for exams, did the most research for assignments. Or the girl who after my enforced stay at the Royal Brompton pestered and pestered and pestered the Professor of Cardiac Surgery there, to get me onto a clinical trial, which ultimately meant that I didn't need to have the heart transplant it looked like I was heading towards. And I should definitely tell you about the girl who worked a night shift and then drove down the M4 on that bike, so she could be at my 12 week scan, which had been re-arranged at the last minute, despite me telling her there was no need. Or the girl who took a day of her precious annual leave to come down for my 20 week scan, and who kept her promise not to look when they were checking Robin's lower half, just so she wouldn't know something I didn't. Or…" Jil's smile faded, and she hesitated before continuing, "…or the girl who flew home from St Lucia on the second day of her holiday when I had a miscarriage at 15 weeks, four years ago. And who then stayed with me for the rest of her two weeks off, and was just there for me – which was really useful because Daniel could only have a few days off work, and Jac was just so…" Jil trailed off, her eyes misting up with tears, which she wiped away with her hand. "Sorry" she said to Jonny, before taking a sip of her now drinkable hot water.

"Don't apologise" Jonny replied, taking her free hand, and giving it a comforting squeeze, "there's absolutely no need"

"No, I should know that shouldn't I? Doing the job I do." Jil said shakily, smiling slightly, though the tears were still present in her eyes. "It's perfectly acceptable to cry if you're sad, that's what I always tell the children I work with, but it's hard to do it in front of someone without feeling the need to apologise. Silly really." She took another sip of her drink, and after a deep breath, looked at Jonny and asked. "Ready for more?"

"Only if you are." Jonny asked, sounding concerned, "I don't want you to upset yourself because of me. Apart from anything else I don't think it'd do me any favours with Jac."

Jil smiled, a proper smile, and said, "No, no she doesn't tend to like people who upset me much – just ask Darren Jamseson if you need confirmation of that. But really I'm fine, and I've got a bit more to tell you, so if you've still got time..?"

"Well I can't see Mo being here for a good while yet, so yes I've got time" Jonny said, "but only if you're sure."

"Mm hmm," Jil said, "I'm positive!" And after taking another sip of her drink, continued. "So now I can tell you about the girl who tagged another week's annual leave on to that research trip she had in America this year, but instead of spending it in the California sunshine, spent it helping me decorate the lounge and nursery of mine and Daniel's new house. Or the girl who's housewarming present to us was a new bathroom suite, complete with fixtures and fittings and paying the plumber to come and fit them. Or the girl who has come down to London to stay with me every time Daniel has been away overnight since we moved into our house, just because I don't like being on my own there, and who has changed her shifts, taken annual leave and basically re-arranged her life in order to be able to do that. And I have to tell you about the girl who is, I think, even more excited about Robin coming than my mum and who is so desperate not to jinx anything that she almost turned me down when I asked her to be godmother, even though she knew how much I wanted her to say yes. Or the girl who, when she came down to London last week…" Jil stopped mid-sentence, her attention caught by something she could see over Jonny's shoulder. "Is that OK?" she asked, concerned, "should he be there like that?" Jonny followed her gaze and saw a man, from the hospital gown he was wearing and the fact that he had no shoes on, obviously a patient, standing looking lost by the lifts.

"No," Jonny answered, "no I really don't think he should. I better go and…." he continued standing up

"Definitely," Jil agreed, "I'll still be here when you get back" she promised, as he walked off 'and then we'll have to get back to the heavy stuff' she thought to herself 'cos that's the only way you'll ever really understand why Jac is so extraordinary'

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**Sorry there has been such a ludicrously long interlude between my last chapter and this one, but as you can see it is a long one so take a while to write, and life has been getting in the way of my writing it too (been mega-busy with work and uni). Have split it into two chapters to get something uploaded sooner, but next chapter shouldn't be so long in coming as will have more time this week. Hope it's been worth the wait…**


	18. That sort of betrayal

**Hi. Looks like this section of the story will be a 3 or even 4 chapter section, as I have so much to write but don't want to keep everybody waiting for updates. Hope you're all enjoying this – please keep the reviews coming (I'd love to get up to 50 with this chapter!), and thank you to everyone who has already posted one, it's great to know people like my scribblings!**

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Jil watched as Jonny dealt with the situation – talking to the patient and then after looking at his wrist band disappearing with him in to the lift. 'I like him' she thought and smiled, pleased that at long last Jac seemed to have found someone worth keeping again. Jonny was. Jil decided, just what Jac needed, 'just what the doctor ordered' she thought to herself, smiling once again. She hoped her telling him all this would help him understand Jac – she knew how difficult she could be and because she now thought that he was good for her desperately wanted to help Jonny see beyond the wall Jac had carefully constructed around herself. She'd got the idea that somehow (and he must have been good to do even this) he had managed to see through her 'ice queen' persona but wanted to help him see WHY Jac was like she is because that really was the most important thing This would mean though that she'd have to talk about 'that' woman again, as Jil was sure it was her who had set Jac on the path she had taken through life. Jil felt herself growing angry at the very thought of her and knew that she'd have to try and remain calm , getting stressed was no good for the baby, so after taking a couple more sips of her drink she put it down and did a quick deep breathing exercise to help her relax for a few minutes. She saw a patient-less Jonny emerge from the lift again, and after taking one final deep breath as he walked towards her smiled and said "All sorted."

"Yep – he's back on his ward now, safe and sound" Jonny replied.

"You can take your armour off again now' Jil joked. "Damsels in distress, patients in peril – you're a real hero aren't you?"

"Just doing my job, ma'am" Jonny said, in a terrible American accent. "Just doing my job."

Jil's smile grew and she said "No offence, but that was terrible and totally unnecessary too. You're accent is lovely – mind you, I've always had a bit of a thing for a Celtic lilt, they make me go a little bit weak at the knees – I could listen to you reading the phone book and be happy" she added.

"Really?" Jonny asked

"Most definitely" Jil replied, "and I know, whatever she might say to you, Jac feels the same. She told me your accent was sexy, a bit like Sean Connery."

"She told me Scottish men weren't really her thing" Jonny said, remembering their discussion about Eamonn in the MRI viewing room.

"That's Jac for you" Jil said, "constantly contrary. She'd argue black was white if she was in the mood, and would probably have you believing it too, by the time she'd finished. She can be very persuasive you know."

"Oh, I know!" Jonny agreed, thinking of all the times Jac had 'persuaded' him to keep up the stupid pretence that they weren't together with the whole 10 minute airlock thing. "Although sometimes it feels more like blackmail than persuasion to me" he continued.

"Mmm, yeah – whatever it takes to get things how she wants them" Jil said. "She's very, what's the nicest way of putting that…very determined" she concluded, "although if you weren't being charitable I suppose you could describe it as stubborn, or selfish or just plain b-mindedness. You see Jac has this really annoying habit of cutting her nose off to spite her face, and no matter how hard I try I can't seem to wean her off it. It's one of the most frustrating things about being friends with her – like I said before she's constantly contrary, and often it's to her own detriment too. And the most annoying thing is that most of the time she knows it"

"But then why, why does she do it" Jonny asked, genuine confusion evident in his voice.

"Ah, the sixty two million dollar question, why does Jac do what she does" Jil said, "I think I have a partial explanation but I'll have to finish telling you about Jac's amazingness for you to understand it. And I'm going to need to get back to the heavy stuff, if that's OK with you"

"Yes, that's fine. Well if it's OK for you?" Jonny said quickly, remembering Jil's reaction last time they had discussed the 'heavy stuff'

Yep," Jil said, "I've prepared myself for it, so I'll be fine. Before I start can I just check, you know about the kidney transplant right?" Jonny nodded. "Yeah that 'one kidneyed freak' line was good, I'd not thought of that" Jil continued smiling slightly, before becoming serious again to say "But Jac didn't tell you herself right?

"No," Jonny said, "Mo did."

"Right, Mo told you after Hanssen mentioned it in theatre because of radiation man, right?" Jonny nodded again. "But before, when you saw the scar – she made something up?"

"Yep," he said, "she told me she'd been stabbed by a patient. I'm not sure I believed her though , the scar didn't look right to me, but I didn't want to pry. Not then anyway."

"The sad thing is that metaphorically at least she did tell the truth" Jil said sadly, "the scar should really have been on her back though. Sorry" she said, seeing the confusion on Jonny's face, "I'll stop talking in riddles. You know how when we talked about Jac's mother I said the worst was to come?" Jonny nodded. "Well it's time for you to know what the worst is!" And after a brief pause in which she took one final deep breath, Jil continued.

"About three years ago Jac's mother, Paula, turned up here at the hospital from India ill. Jac was on Keller then and so, unfortunately was Paula. At first she didn't want anything to do with her – was determined to just treat her like any other patient, but of course she couldn't. Turned out that Paula had kidney failure which she made out she had no idea about, and that the only thing that could help was a kidney transplant. And when Jac turned out to be a match, she agreed to be a living donor. You see, she wanted her mum back, like most kids from care do, no matter how crappy they were, and was prepared to go to any lengths to get that. And Paula played along, acted the part of repentant mother really well saying all the right things, well until after the operation anyway. Then after the op, when she was staying with Jac she pretended to be ill, made Jac think she was going into rejection, just to get her out of the house so she could leave more easily. And when Jac came back and found her gone, even though _she_ really WAS ill, her wound had got infected, she set off to find her still thinking that Paula needed her help. And when she got to where Paula was, after she'd found out that she wasn't ill at all, she discovered that the granddad she'd thought was dead was alive and well, and had known what Paula was up to, and that she had a half-sister she never knew about. But worse than that she found out that Paula had ALWAYS known she needed a kidney transplant and had come back to England to see if Jac would be a match – that she was really nothing more than a spare part to the person who should love you most and best in the world. But you know what I think was the worst thing she did – even worse than lying to Jac all those years ago or using her to get what she needed now. The worst thing she did was to blame Jac for why it hadn't worked out between them this time – made out it was because she hadn't made room for her in heart. It wasn't because she was a lying, amoral, heartless bitch who only ever thought of herself. NO – it was Jac's fault, and that fed into Jac's belief that there was something intrinsically wrong with her. And that's the thing that makes me angriest of all, that even after all Paula had done to her, she still had the power to make Jac, _my Jac_, feel like that." Despite her best efforts Jil had become angry whilst telling Jonny all this, and realising this, made a conscious effort to calm down, so finished simply, and as calmly as she could. "So that's why I detest THAT WOMAN so much."

Jonny struggled to take it all in – how could anyone do that to another human being, let alone their daughter. He'd heard about people paying poverty-stricken strangers for kidney's in developing countries, and even people being killed for their organs but in some respects this seemed worse. And how would you come back from that sort of betrayal? He couldn't even begin to imagine how hard it would be!

His reverie was broken by Jil saying, "But you know what the strangest thing is, if you asked Jac what the worst decision she'd made in her life was – it wouldn't be giving a kidney to an undeserving bitch who used to be her mother, that she'd say." Jonny looked up, shock evident on his face, surely there couldn't be anything worse than that in Jac's life, could there…..?


	19. Difficult to understand

**Hi All. Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews (and for getting me past 50). Just to say it was never my intention to have all these cliff-hanger endings, but I have so much to write and only so much time, so rather than leaving it weeks between updates have to find suitable spots to finish off each chapter. There is another ****slight one this time too – sorry, hope you'll forgive me…... **

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There was a moment's silence before Jonny, finally marshalling his thoughts exclaimed, "You've got to be kidding me! I mean what could possibly be worse than that? Her own mother, using her like that – I just can't get my head round it. It's just so, so…" he stopped, unable to think of a word big enough to encompass his feelings.

"cruel" Jil suggested, Jonny nodded and continued

"although that doesn't seem strong enough really – but I can't think of a description that would. So I can't see how anything could be worse than that?"

"I suppose it's all a matter of perspective" Jil explained. "From Jac's point of view, with the whole Paula thing, she did the right thing – the selfless thing. And even though Paula threw that all back in her face, that didn't change the fact that she had done a good thing. Whereas this, this thing that I'm going to tell you about now, Jac knows she brought all the bad stuff that resulted from it on herself, by her own actions – which makes it seem worse to her than anything that happened with Paula, where she was the blameless one. Do you get what I'm talking about?" she asked.

Jonny nodded uncertainly, "I think so – I suppose if you feel you're solely to blame for something it's going to be worse than if you've done nothing wrong but everything falls apart anyway."

"Mmm yeah," Jil agreed, shifting in her chair.

"Are you OK?" Jonny asked quickly.

"Yes, I'm fine," Jil said "there's no need to put your armour on just yet" smiling slightly, despite herself. "Actually I'm just trying to think of how to say this next bit…..because it's difficult for even me to understand why Jac did what she did, and I've known her for so long and I'm not sure I do really fully understand it, so expecting you to, I just don't know." She looked at Jonny, and seeing how confused he looked continued, "Sorry, this isn't helpful is it? Cos you don't have a clue what I'm talking about, do you?"

"No" Jonny replied simply.

"Right then – I think I'll just have to bite the bullet and tell you, although if Holby's gossip machine is anything like the one in the hospital I work at you'll probably have heard something about it already. If I was to say Byrne-gate to you, would you know what I was talking about?"

"Is that the thing about Jac sleeping with the chairman of the hospital board, who was related to her then boyfriend?"

"Yeah, that's it" Jil said, studying Jonny's face carefully, trying to gauge his reaction.

"Oh yes" Jonny said definitely "I know all about that" In fact, he reflected ruefully, that information, gleaned from the other nurses on Darwin, who had been around at the time, during long night shifts when there was nothing to do but gossip, had been one of the things Mo had been using to wind him up about Jac over the past week. Her 'history' of sleeping with people to further her career whilst cheating on her boyfriend, lending weight, in Mo's mind at least, to her theory that Jac was two-timing him with a Harley Street surgeon.

"And," Jil said cautiously, "what did you think?"

"Well I wasn't thrilled when I heard" Jonny answered, "I mean someone who would sleep with their boyfriend's father isn't probably going to be someone your mum will welcome with open arms is she. But then some of the nurses said that they thought Jac did have some feelings for him - the chairman guy."

"Lord Byrne" Jil said.

"Yeah – him. So I figured that maybe it wasn't just all about furthering her career, and I heard that the son, her ex forgave her in the end too"

"Mmm, yes he did" confirmed Jil.

"So I suppose I've just pushed it to the back of my mind. Although I have to admit it does worry me sometimes – I mean if she's cheated once, then she could do it again couldn't she?" Jonny said, thinking as he said it that this worry had been part of the problem this week – one of the reasons the nagging doubt wouldn't settle.

"Well" Jil said, "I can reassure you on that score. Jac may be a lot of things but stupid isn't one of them. So actually the whole Byrne-gate thing is good for you" She saw the sceptical look on Jonny's face, but continued undaunted, "You see she'll never cheat on anyone again – she won't risk making the same mistake again…"

"I don't think you can call sleeping with your boyfriend's father to get a few rungs up the career ladder a mistake, do you" Jonny interrupted sharply.

"No, I don't" Jil replied, "and what's more I wouldn't! But that wasn't the mistake I was referring to, well not really"

"Well then what did you mean" Jonny asked, genuinely curious to know.

"If it's ok with you" Jil answered, looking at Jonny "I'm going to answer that question from a slightly different angle?"

Jonny shrugged his shoulders and said, "Sure it's fine with me"

"Ok, alright then," Jil said, "so I'm going to tell you about the girl who made the biggest mistake of her life when she cheated on the man she didn't realise she loved. Thereby beginning the very slow process of breaking her own heart when that realisation started to dawn, and Joseph, in the meantime had met and fallen in love and married someone else. Someone, who Jac thought, as it turned out correctly, wasn't right or good for him. Someone who ended up leaving him for another man whilst pregnant with Joseph's baby, and who, without Jac's intervention, would have taken their son to France without a second thought. And I know that Jac tried to break them up before they got married using any means at her disposal but I also know that was because she loved him so much and was desperate to stop him making what she knew was a huge mistake by marrying Faye. And when, despite all her efforts, they got married anyway I know how hard she tried to be happy for him and how much pain that effort caused her. And then when the marriage fell apart and he needed Jac as a friend again, I know how difficult that was for her, being there for him, supporting him through it all, whilst all the time she loved him so much but wasn't able to say. So you see the biggest mistake of Jac's life wasn't cheating on Joseph, it was not realising that she loved him until she'd done it, when it was too late. Do you see?" she asked Jonny anxiously, and was relieved when after a moment's hesitation, he nodded saying

"I think so….yes"

"And you mustn't think I'm trying to excuse what Jac did, because I'm not" Jil continued, "I know it was a terrible thing to do, but then so does she, and I think she suffered enough as a consequence anyway. You have to remember I saw how distraught she was when she realised how much of a mess she'd made of things, how desperate she was to make things right again, how hard she tried after that to make sure he wasn't hurt again. And it's strange because after all that, everything that had happened between them they did get back together for a short while after Harry was born," she saw Jonny's expression change "you didn't know that?" she surmised. He shook his head, confirming her suspicions. "It doesn't surprise me" she continued, "I think, because of all the history, they wanted to keep it to themselves as much as possible, must have succeeded if the hospital rumour mill didn't pick up on it. But yes, they got back together again and Jac was so happy, despite all the difficulties, everything was going so well and then she made what I think was the second biggest mistake of her life by not leaving with him and Harry when he asked her to?"

"Why, why didn't she leave with him?" Jonny asked, confusion evident in his voice, "if she loved him so much and was so happy, why didn't she just go with him?"

"Because" Jil answered sadly, "Jac doesn't trust that love will keep her safe. And to her, keeping herself safe is more important than anything, even being happy. That's why her work is so important to her – it's something she knows she's good at, and that makes her feel secure in herself. You see the thing you have to understand about Jac is, no" she corrected herself "one of the _many_ things you have to understand about Jac is that she's had 35 years of thinking that she wasn't good enough because, even before Paula left, nothing Jac did was ever enough. I always remember Jac got the top mark, 19 out of 20, in the first spelling test we ever did, in infant 3, and all Paula said was 'What word did you get wrong?'. And even when Jac got everything right, or got a gold star or house points for something she'd done well, Paula never said well done or anything. And then, when she left, Paula, the only way Jac could understand that was by believing that there was something so fundamentally wrong with her that she couldn't bear to stay. So she'd had 25 years of thinking that too. So underneath all Jac's bravado and show, and her surgeon's arrogance is someone with no self-esteem who basically thinks she's unlovable, and even worse who thinks she's not worth loving. And even though now, after Paula came back, she _knows_ that the reason she left was nothing to do with her – that it was all Paula's selfishness – she still doesn't _feel_ that inside. So, with Jac you have to be prepared to battle your way through all that to love her, or to make her feel properly that you do. I mean I'm lucky – I've known her for so long, since before all this, so she's always known that I loved her – never any doubt about it. But I know it **can **be done – I mean Joseph managed it, and Sacha too, even Michael Spence up to a point, not that you'd guess that now but they reached an understanding after the whole Paula thing. I read something somewhere about how people sometimes build walls not to keep others out but to see who cares enough to break them down. And I think that's what Jac's done, and I was always behind the wall with her, and Joseph, Michael and Sacha managed to get through it, to a greater or lesser extent.

"But how?" Jonny asked. "How do I get through that wall? I want to break it down" he continued, the frustration he felt evident "and I've tried but it doesn't seem to be working. So how do I do it?"

"Another 62 million dollar question." Jil replied, calmly, "but I might have some ideas to help you."…..

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**As I said another slight cliff-hanger, but hopefully I'll update before Christmas. I expect you all guessed what the worst decision Jac's ever made was but hope I've done justice to the storyline and Hi-World that Jonny's reaction to it wasn't too freaked out for you!**


	20. Meanwhile

**Hey everyone. Sorry this is a bit of a filler chapter but I wanted to post something before the end of today, and having vastly underestimated the amount of pre-Christmas preparation I hadn't done(!), knew I wouldn't be able to finish the chapter I'd originally planned. Also, (and in my defence) I don't think you can ever have too much Jac! Happy Christmas!**

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_Meanwhile…_

Jac was stuck on the ring road. She had, even with keeping her promise to Jil, made good time on the journey home and despite one incident with the number 56 bus (which was totally the idiotic driver's fault – surely he should know traffic from the right has priority on roundabouts!) had arrived home safe and sound in 17 minutes. Then, after a mad dash to tidy up the flat some more for Jil's arrival (she was so glad she'd done the washing up and vacuuming this morning), it was back to the hospital in her car. And now she was stuck…It was just typical, she thought to herself, the one day she desperately wanted to get to the hospital, was the day some cretin decided to breakdown (so the travel update had informed her) on the road leading to Mayfields Shopping Centre, which meant (obviously) that the whole city had ground to a standstill. What was so frustrating was she knew that she was now only about five minutes from the hospital, but could see herself being stuck here for at least another twenty. She had briefly considered parking the car somewhere and then walking to the hospital, but had abandoned that plan when she remembered that 5 minutes by car equated to at least 15 possibly 20 on foot, and that Jil was nearly six months pregnant. Also, it looked like it might pour and she knew she'd never forgive herself (never mind what Daniel and Mr and Mrs Santini would say!) if Jil got caught in the rain. Another traffic bulletin interrupted her thoughts, and the annoyingly chirpy presenter informed her that the breakdown had been removed and the traffic was beginning to move again. This was why Jac loved her bike so much – the freedom it gave her to not be affected by such things as traffic jams, breakdowns or accidents. She could just weave her way in and out of the stranded cars, which always gave her a (childish) thrill, particularly when the said cars were Porsches or Ferrari's or, even more satisfyingly, huge '_Chelsea_ _tractors'_ which had never (and would never) go off-road, driven by people who could never park them properly in the supermarket! She knew why Jil worried though, her throw away comment to Jonny last week that she 'always' rode carefully, was not strictly true, a fact which Jil knew well, having ridden pillion with her many times in her pre-pregnancy days. In truth, she occasionally shocked herself (after the event) with the risks she sometimes took whilst riding, and she knew she was lucky to have only had that one accident. She would, she decided, have to be more careful in future – Jil's comment about how awful it had been receiving the phone call from the hospital, hadn't just guilt-tripped her (although it had done that very well), it'd also reminded her how much she would be missed if anything did happen to her. Which was, she decided, a good thing to be reminded of every now and again!

The traffic was beginning to creep forward very slowly, which she took to be a good sign, and she began to feel much more hopeful that she might make it back to the hospital around 6.30, which had seemed like an impossibility just a few minutes earlier. She was so looking forward to this weekend, although it did mean that she probably wouldn't see Jonny till Monday – she thought about this for a moment and realised that she might actually miss him, and that this thought wasn't as surprising (or as scary) as she'd thought it'd be. She also realised that she hoped Jil liked him, and that she was sorry Jil hadn't had a chance to tell him about her awesomeness. She smiled at the thought – her awesomeness – there wouldn't be much to tell, a two minute conversation would do it she was sure. Still, it might be nice for someone else to think of her as Jil did - she'd only been half joking when she said it'd be good for somebody other than Sacha to think she was even halfway human. But she was sure, now she'd given her permission that Jil would find a way to impart this knowledge to Jonny, and that, come hell or high water, he would know why, in Jil's opinion, she, Jac Naylor, was amazing! Her musings were interrupted by the forward motion of the car in front – the quicker-than-walking-pace forward motion of the car in front – and as she watched her speedometer slowly climb up past 10 mph her thoughts turned to whether Jil would still be where she'd left her when she eventually made it back to the hospital or whether, as was so often the case with her friend, she'd have struck up a conversation with a random stranger and gone off to help them with some problem or other. Either that or she'd be in the toilet, she thought, smiling as she remembered their last exchange. 'Only time would tell,' she decided, 'only time would tell'.

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**Also, realised very recently that this story is much longer (10,000 words and counting) than my thesis will have to be - so that should be a doddle!**


	21. Default position

**Hi Folks. Happy New Year - hope 2013 is treating everyone kindly. This next chapter continues straight on from chapter 19 (as chapter 20 was a bonus 'want to post something at Christmas but know I don't have time to write the chapter I planned' type thing) so you might want to refresh your memory of where Jil and Jonny had got up to before you read this. Hope you all enjoy this next one – please keep the reviews coming (would LOVE to get to 60 with this chapter), is lovely to know that people like my work (although any constructive criticism is also very welcome).**

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_Friday, 18.12. Main Reception_

"You see" Jil continued, "_another one_ of those things you need to understand about Jac is that her default position is always two or three paces back from anyone. I mean, I was lucky, we were so young when we met that she didn't have a default position then, although" Jil reflected, "I'm fairly sure that the seeds had already been sown even then – Paula has an awful lot more than a stolen kidney to answer for. But anyway" Jil continued, shaking her head slightly as if to change her train of thought, "given that that is where Jac starts from with everybody you have to bridge that gap"

"But how?" Jonny interrupted. "How do you do that? I mean, I've tried, you have got to believe that I've tried my damndest to get close to her, but she just won't let me."

"Jonny," Jil said gently, sensing his annoyance, "I believe you, I really do. But you see that's part of the problem" seeing confusion replacing the look of frustration on his face, she continued. "If you try and get close to her she'll just step back, so that her default position remains in place. You see, you can't get nearer to her, or pull, or push her towards you – it doesn't work like that with Jac. You have to let her come to you, but" she said pre-empting Jonny's next question "there are ways you can help her with this"

"Like what" Jonny asked before Jil could continue. "I'm prepared to do anything, well" he corrected himself, "almost anything, so please just tell me what I need to do"

Jil was so happy to hear Jonny say this, that she felt like singing, but decided that wouldn't be particularly diplomatic seeing as how Jonny seemed so desperate. She did allow herself the barest hint of a smile before she answered him though. "It's not so much a case of what you need to do, well not entirely anyway, but how you need to be. Patience and persistence, that's what you need, patience and persistence. And you need to play by her rules – however unfair or ridiculous they seem to be. And I know how difficult that can be – especially because she sometimes changes the rules without telling you, or throws a new one into the mix for no apparent reason. And she needs to know that you're on her side, whetever happens – that you'll stand by her"

"So you're saying I shouldn't ever disagree with her, or that I should stick up for her when I think she's in the wrong?" Jonny asked, sounding annoyed "because I can't do that – if she's doing the wrong thing, I can't just let her get away with it, without saying anything".

"No, no that's not what I meant" Jil hurriedly said, "sorry I haven't explained it very well. Erm.. what I mean is.." she hesitated, unsure how to go on, and then a memory was triggered, 'divine inspiration' she thought. "At my old church, the one I went to when I was living with my parents, we used to have this priest who came whenever our parish priest went on holiday – Fr Percy. And he was Irish and full of these really wonderful stories and sayings, and his homily's were usually really good." Jil could see from Jonny's face that he had no idea why she was telling him this, so to reassure him continued. "Bear with me, there is a point to this. And one of the things he said, which really made an impression on me, was that anyone, even your worst enemy, would stand by you when you're in the right, and that it was when you were in the wrong that you really needed your friends. Not to condone what you'd done – but to support you, the person who'd done it. I suppose it's like loving the sinner but hating the sin. Separating the action from the person who performed it. Do you see?" Jil looked across at Jonny and saw some understanding dawning, so continued. "It's like with children, if they do something naughty you don't say, or" she corrected herself, "you shouldn't say 'you're a naughty girl or boy' you should say 'that was a naughty thing to do'. I know it doesn't sound like much of a difference, but believe me it is. Now do you see what I mean?" Jil asked.

"I think so, yes" Jonny answered, "so I don't have to agree with her about everything, or approve of everything she does?"

"Oh no, no definitely not" Jil said. "In fact, I'm sure she'd think far less of you if you did do that. But you do have to let her know that, if she has done something that you think is wrong, whilst you're not condoning that, you are still standing by her, that you still support_ her_, even if you can't support her actions. I mean, you have to believe me there have been times when I've been really shocked by things Jac's done, and they've made me really angry, and she knows that, but she also knows that I will always stand by her, whatever she does, because she's my best friend and I love her. " Jil concluded, simply.

"But…well," Jonny said, struggling to put into words what he wanted to say, "I mean.."

Jil looked at him and smiling said, "But you think that's part of the problem…that the fact that I love Jac has blinded me to her faults. That I see her through rose-tinted spectacles."

"I thought you said you couldn't read minds." Jonny said, amazed.

"No, I didn't say that – I said that everybody asked if I could when I told them I was a clinical psychologist, I didn't say anything about what my response to the question was." Jil said, her smile growing, "but just to reassure you – I can't, and I wouldn't want to either. It's just a natural reaction for people to think that isn't it, Jac is my best friend why wouldn't I only see the good in her?"

"And?" Jonny asked "What would your reaction be to someone if they did say that to you?"

"I'd tell them that they're as wrong as wrong can be" Jil replied, still smiling.

"Care to elaborate?" Jonny asked.

"Of course," Jil said…..

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**Sorry this is a bit of a fake ending but it's gone midnight and I need to go to bed soon, want to post something before 12****th**** night and know I won't be able to do any more work on this for a few days. Next instalment will hopefully be up by next weekend. As I've said before, any reviews gratefully appreciated.**


	22. BFM

**Hi. Sorry about the delay in getting this chapter posted – also apologies because I actually think this one is a little bit pants, especially the first bit. I think it does improve towards the end, and I promise the next one will be better. As always. please review – don't be too harsh though, but constructive criticisms always welcome.**

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Friday, 18.26. Main Reception

"You see, I've known Jac for most of my life, so how could I possibly NOT know her faults and failings. I might understand them a bit better than most but I still see them, but because she's my best friend I can see past them. So I know full well that Jac is impatient and easily annoyed and that she has a temper that would scare the devil himself, if he was ever stupid enough to get on her bad side. I know that she is as sarcastic as anything and can be cutting, even cruel sometimes with what she says. That she is stubborn, hates to admit that she's wrong (although to be fair who likes doing that) and is even less willing to apologise even when she really knows she should." Jil looked up and seeing Jonny nodding in agreement, smiled and continued. "I also know how incredibly tunnel-visioned she can be sometimes, and how that can drive you to distraction when you're trying to make her see the bigger picture. I also know that she has exceedingly high standards, for herself, as well as others, and that she can be, well a total cow, if other people don't live up to them" She looked at Jonny again, "Your face is a picture" she commented.

"Yeah well – it's just well I never expected to hear you say that" he said.

"What, the cow thing?" Jil asked. Jonny nodded. "I'm sure that's really tame compared to some of the things she must get called here – you see I do know what a nightmare she can be. Believe me, I know only too well how bossy she is, and how arrogant and rude she can sometimes be – the number of times I've had to smooth over feathers that she's ruffled….Well, I'm sure I don't have to tell you about that, would imagine you have quite a bit of experience of doing that too, on the ward?"

Jonny nodded, "Yep, sometimes her bedside manner isn't the best"

"Mmm" Jil said "I can imagine – tact's never been one of Jac's strong suits and she's not one for warm and cuddly normally either, although sometimes she can surprise you."

Jonny, remembering how Jac had been with both Nina and Billly had to agree. "She certainly can"

"Although," Jil continued, "that can be disconcerting too – you never really know where you are with her. And she can be soooo moody, and when she's in a bad mood everybody will know about it."

"Wow" Jonny said "you really weren't exaggerating when you said you knew about her faults were you?"

Jil smiled and shaking her head said, "No I really wasn't."

"So, any other faults you want to dazzle me with your knowledge about?" Jonny asked.

"Think that's probably enough for now," Jil replied "although I'm sure I've not told you anything you didn't already know. In fact, knowing Jac you've probably had personal experience of most of them already, know I have. But I suppose that's one of the reasons our friendship is so strong. I saw this thing on a card once 'Love is blind but friendship closes it's eyes', and that's how it is for me and Jac. I know her faults and she knows mine, but we choose, not to ignore, but to discount them. Because you see I love Jac – warts and all – and sometimes not even despite her faults, but because of them. Does that make any sense at all?"

"Honestly?" Jonny asked, and seeing Jil nodding her head, continued, "not really – no"

"Ahh, don't worry – it'll come" Jil promised confidently, "I mean don't get me wrong it's not all her faults I'm keen on, but now, some of them – I actually find quite endearing because they're part of her and I love her, so it will definitely come to you too!"

"Think I'll have to take your word for that" Jonny said

"OK, you'll let me know though, when it happens?" Jil replied, "and then I'll tell you '_I told you so'"_

"It's a deal" Jonny said, offering his hand, which Jil, smiling, shook.

"Deal" she confirmed. "And, I've just remembered one final tip to help you with Jac."

"OK – hit me with it!" Jonny said

"Alright, are you ready for this?" Jil asked

"As, I'll ever be" Jonny replied.

"Right, well actually it's really simple – sometimes, just sometimes you have to choose her, so" she continued, as looking at Jonny she saw he was confused, "for example, you shouldn't tell Mo any of what I've told you today, because I know Jac would prefer it if you didn't – choosing her you see. And I do know that will be hard, because Mo's your best friend but that'll mean you're choosing Jac over yourself. And Jac never had that, like most other people do, from her mum and dad – she was never first for anybody when she was small, so she really needs to feel it now. Does that make sense?" she asked.

"I think so" Jonny said.

"But like I said, it just has to be sometimes, but it does need to be done – if you want her to come to you, to change that default position from 2 or 3 steps away, to right beside you."

"Right," Jonny said certainly, "well that's definitely what I want, so sometimes I'll choose her!"

"Great" Jil said simply, her smile growing as she realised quite how much she was beginning to like Jonny, and how very good he'd be for Jac!

"So, have you remembered any.." Jonny began, only to stop when he saw Jil turn round look towards to the window and wave. Following her gaze he saw Jac walking up to the hospital from the car park, wave back. "How…how do you do that?" he asked, incredulously.

"Do what?" Jil replied, turning back to look at him.

"Know when she's nearby – you've been doing it all day!"

"Ahh that, that's easy to explain – it's BFM – Best Friend Magic. You see, you and Mo aren't the only ones with a psychic connection. I mean synchronised periods are a bit beyond at us at the moment" she said smiling, enjoying Jonny's discomfort at being reminded about _that_ faux-pas, "but knowing when Jac's nearby, that's just BFM." And so saying, she once again turned around to look, the other way this time, at the main entrance doors, just as Jac walked through them.


	23. 22 fit men in shorts - extraordinary!

**Hi Folks. A bit of a quicker update this time (I too am procrastinating!) hope you enjoy it. LoveJacNaylor there is a bit of Jonny and Jac in this chapter, but promise (and you HiWorld) that there is more to come (of a more lovey-dovey nature too – which I think we're all going to need post this week's episode). I have a la J.K Rowling already written the last sentence of this story but there are a few chapters to go till we reach that. Anyway, enough of my ramblings, here goes…**

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Friday, 18.42. Car park

'I might have known' Jac thought looking towards the hospital after climbing out of her car and spotting Jil deep in conversation with someone. Jil then turned round and waved at her and as she waved back, Jac realised that it wasn't just someone she had been talking to – it was Jonny. 'What's he still doing here?' Jac asked herself, looking at her watch, 'he should have gone home hours ago.' As she walked towards the hospital she could see Jil and Jonny continuing to talk, but as she entered through the main entrance doors she saw Jil turn round and smile at her. Jac, as normal, found it impossible to resist the impulse to smile back at her best friend, but as she walked over to where she was sitting with Jonny, her smile faded to be replaced by a look of determined curiosity. "Why aren't you at home?" she asked Jonny before turning to Jil and quickly saying "Hi" before turning her attention back to Jonny, "Well?"

Jonny who hadn't really been expecting to be interrogated, and who had so much to think about already, struggled to marshal his thoughts and answer and was saved from the effort of trying by a timely interruption from Jil. "He was Darwin's knight in shining armour and then he stayed around to keep me company instead of going to Albie's to wait for Mo." She explained, adding "apparently she's got a huge pile of paperwork to finish off, and Jonny didn't want to be Billy-no-mates over there waiting for her to finish it."

"What?" Jac asked, evidently confused. "Darwin's knight …what are you going on about?"

"Oh that, yes." Jil said. "One of the agency nurses didn't turn up so Jonny stayed until they sent another one. Actually, he was still on the ward when we left, he came down about 5 minutes after you went to pick up the car"

"Oh, right, ok. So what've you been doing since then."

"Talking mostly, except for when Jonny went into super-hero mode again and rescued a patient." Jil saw Jac's eyebrows raise at this, and pre-empting the question she knew was coming said. "A patient came down in the lift, obviously not knowing where he was – Jonny got him back to his ward, safe and sound. But apart from that, well, and when Jonny was in the queue for drinks, I've just been telling him about your general amazingness"

"And?" Jac said, her tone making the word a question.

"And what?" Jil replied, her turn now to sound confused.

"Well that can't have taken longer than what, 5, 10 minutes tops, so what else have you been talking about whilst I've been away. No, don't tell me – he's been boring you to death going on about football, hasn't he?"

"Hey no, I have not." Jonny said, sounding more than a little affronted. "I do not go on about football all the time and if I did, it would NOT be boring!" he continued, his natural confidence beginning to surface again.

"Yeah right" Jac countered.

"Hey, hey, hey" Jil interrupted "to coin a sporting phrase 'Time out guys'. Honestly you two are nearly as bad as the boys when you get started. I pity poor Professor Hope trying to keep control of the ward with you two both there. And no Jac, Jonny and I have not been talking about football but, if we had been, I wouldn't have found it boring at all. Actually, if you must know Daniel's got me into Match of the Day, and I quite like it now. What?" she said, seeing the expression on Jac's face, "it's 22 fit, mostly good looking, men in shorts – what's _not_ to like?"

"Mmm, ok" Jac said, not sounding particularly convinced, although, the more she thought about it…. 22 fit men in shorts - maybe Jil did have a point, perhaps they could watch it this weekend. "So if it wasn't football, what have you been talking about then?" she continued, still determined to satisfy her curiosity.

"Like I said" Jil replied. "Your amazingness."

"What? All this time?" Jac asked the incredulity evident in her voice.

"Pretty much!" Jil answered. "Jeez Jac, you really have no idea do you? I could literally talk for hours on the subject of how extraordinary you are. I don't think I've told Jonny half of what I could have done whilst we've been here"

"Oh, right!" Jac managed to get out,

Jil sensing that her friend was getting emotional, and knowing how much she would hate to let her feelings show here, decided to try and lighten the mood. "I also gave him some top tips on how to put up with you too," she said.

Jac, signalling her gratitude with a smile, said "Oh yeah, and what top tips were they?"

"Now Jonny," Jil said, smiling at him, "what was it I told you? Something about developing a keen sense of selective deafness, armour plating to ward off the insults and a line in shoe-related compliments wasn't it?"

"Yep that was it," Jonny answered, playing along, "not forgetting the invaluable ability to arrange discussions about the state of the health service in very small, cupboard-sized spaces, at a moment's notice."

"Right, ok," Jac, who could feel herself blushing, said, "that's enough. Think we better draw this conversation to a close now, before you say something I'll make you regret later."

"Ohh," Jil said, smiling "but it was just starting to get interesting. I think you need to tell me more about these meetings Jonny….."

Jonny stole a glance at Jac and, sensing she was only just on the right side of a good mood, decided that discretion was the better part of valour, and said. "Sorry, the contents of all meetings between Miss Naylor and I are confidential, but I can say they're always really stimulating experiences for both of us"

"Right" Jac said, determined to regain control of the situation, "that really is enough now!" Pairing her words with one of her infamous 'Miss Naylor looks', which she directed first at Jonny, before turning to Jil and saying. "Come on tubby, let's get you home. Are you ready to go?"

"Well actually," Jil said, slightly sheepishly, "unless you really do want to have to find me a bush on the way home, no. I'm going to need to pay a visit to the little girl's room before we leave."

"What, again?" Jac asked

"Well you have been gone quite a long time and I needed another drink to help me tell Jonny about how amazing you are and my bladder is being squashed. So yes, again" Jil said, as she pushed herself up from the chair. "I'll be back in a bit and then we can go, ok"

"Well, I suppose it'll have to be," Jac answered, her smile showing that she didn't really mind.

She watched as Jil walked off across reception, before her attention was captured by Jonny saying, "You can sit down you know," indicating the seat Jil had just vacated, "we don't charge."

"No thanks," she said, smiling at him "I've been sitting down for ages. 25 minutes I was stuck on Holcombe Road for, because of some breakdown near Mayfields. So I'll pass on the seat, but thanks anyway." After a few moments of silence, she looked towards the toilets, and then back at Jonny before asking. "Did you really just talk about me the whole time?"

"Yep" he answered simply

"Right, ok, it's just well you probably shouldn't take everything Jil says about me at face value"

"Are you saying that she's lied to me?" Jonny asked.

"Oh no, no, no, no, no." Jac said hurriedly, "Jil hardly ever lies; she's one of the most honest people I know. No, it's just that she's got a particular view of me, which is probably more kind than most people's. A lot more kind actually."

"You think?" Jonny asked. "So you're telling me Jil see's you through rose-tinted spectacles?"

"Mmmm, I suppose…"

"Really?" Jac nodded. "That's interesting" Jonny continued. "Bossy, bad-tempered, sarcastic, moody, stubborn" He looked up at Jac and seeing the confused expression on her face, carried on "Bit of a control freak, impossibly high standards, rude….sound familiar? I can go on if you need me to."

As he watched he saw the understanding dawn on Jac's face. "What? She said that…about me?" She asked. He nodded, in confirmation. "Cheeky mare!" Jac exclaimed, before continuing, "so you're saying that her spectacles aren't rose-tinted at all."

"Nope, I'd say she sees you very clearly!" Jonny answered. "Faults, as well as how extraordinary you are! I mean if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Take me for example, I know you know how amazing I am, but I'm also sure that if you tried really hard you could think of one or two faults that I have. That wasn't an invitation," he said hurriedly, as he saw Jac go to speak. "So obviously after knowing you for all this time Jil's going to be able to do the same for you."

"Mmm I suppose" Jac conceded. "She really called me stubborn…" Jonny nodded. "That's rich coming from her – seriously, mules have nothing on her once she's set her mind to something. You have no idea!"

"No," Jonny said, "but hopefully I'll find out." Seeing confusion cloud Jac's face once again, he explained, "The more times I see Jil and get to see her stubborn streak, the longer I'll have been with you, you see."

Jac couldn't help but smile when he said this, and felt herself blushing again. Trying to divert Jonny's attention she looked around at the toilets again and said, "Where is she? Honestly how long can it take?" But when she turned back she realised that her ruse hadn't worked when she saw the satisfied smile of victory on Jonny's face, and because she was in an exceptionally good mood she decided to let him have this, and just smiled back.

A few moments later she saw Jonny's attention shift, and turning round again saw Jil walking towards them. "At last" she said, "are you actually ready to go now?"

"Yep, ready, willing and able" Jil replied. And turning to Jonny, who had stood up, gave him a hug and said, "It was lovely to meet you at last. Hopefully I'll see you again soon."

"That reminds me" Jac said, "I was wondering if you wanted to come over for lunch tomorrow – you're on a late right?"

"Yeah I am" Jonny replied, "but I've got a footie match tomorrow, so sorry, no can do."

"Oh, ok. Not to worry," Jac said, "it was just a thought. Maybe next time Jil comes down we can do something."

"Yeah, that'd be good." Jonny said.

"Alright then," Jac said as she picked up Jil's holdall, "have you got everything?" Jil nodded. "OK, let's go then. Have a good time tonight" she added, addressing Jonny, "I'll see you Monday."

"Yep, see ya" Jonny said as he watched them walk out of the hospital, smiling as he heard Jil say something about getting biscuits on the way home. He watched them until they drove away from the car park, and then sat down. It was only then that the enormity of everything that had just happened hit him, he had such a lot to think about and realised that it would take much more than the time he had left before Mo came down to get his head around everything. He really wished he could speak to Mo about it but remembering what Jil had said, and Jac's almost obsessional need privacy, realised that this would be one of those occasions when he would have to put Jac first. He also realised that Jil was right – Jac truly was extraordinary!


	24. Manic Monday

**Hi. Thank you for all the reviews – please continue to let me know what you think, it's so nice to log on and see there's a new review. This story is now drawing to an end but HiWorld, Jil's baby isn't quite cooked yet so she won't be popping in this one, although have got some ideas for other Jac/Jonny stories which will I hope include her, so watch this space. Have included some Jac/Jonny bits in this chapter, as definitely think we need them at the moment (am so disappointed with how things finished on Tuesday – just hope they can get over it somehow eventually) and there will be more to come. **

**Anyway, enough of my ramblings…Enjoy!**

* * *

_Monday, 06.46. Foyer, Jac's Apartment Block_

"I wish I could take you." Jac said, as she and Jil sat in the communal entrance to Jac's apartment block waiting for the taxi they'd booked.

"But it's totally the wrong direction for you!" Jil said, "and I don't want you being late because of me. Although, I'm not entirely sure why we have to leave SO early – I could really have done with a little bit more time in bed this morning."

"Well, seeing as how it's your fault I can't take my bike to work today," Jac replied, "I don't think you've got any cause for complaint. It's because I'm taking the car, which will take longer, that we've got to leave so early."

"And how exactly is it my fault that you have to take the car?" Jil asked.

"Well, if it wasn't for you and your hare-brained notions I wouldn't be taking all this stuff in would I?" Jac said, indicating the plastic bags around her feet, "and where precisely are you expecting me to put this on my bike" she continued, holding up the suit cover that had been draped over the arm of her chair. "Motorbikes don't have sails you know!"

"Ok, ok. Fair point!" Jil conceded. "And I suppose I can go to sleep on the train, if I want"

"Just as long as you text me to let me know you got on it OK," Jac said, "and when you arrive at the station too, and when you get home obviously!"

"Jeez Jac – you're even worse than Daniel. What on earth do you think the taxi driver is going to do to me?"

"I don't think he's going to do anything. But you never know – you're not the only one who worries about car accidents you know."

"Oh Jac – that's so sweet!" Jill said, "and makes it impossible for me to refuse your request. So, I promise I'll text you when I get to the station, OK?"

"Yep, fine." Jac answered smiling. Then looking at her watch said, "Do you think we should phone them – they should have been here 5 minutes ago."

Jil began to answer, "I don't think.." but was interrupted by the sound of a car horn beeping, so instead said, "Aha – that probably answers your question . Come on, think that my chariot awaits." They both got up and after gathering up everything, Jac ensuring that Jil only carried light stuff, started for the exit. As they walked through the door, Jil asked, "Are you sure you're OK about next time?"

"Yep, it's fine" Jac replied.

"And you really don't mind?" Jil persisted.

"Of course I mind, I mean, spending time with my best friend is such a drag." Jac replied sarcastically, before continuing. "Actually I'm really looking forward to it – it'll be like our last hurrah before the melons born – if you're still up for it that is?"

"Oh definitely" Jil enthusiastically agreed, "you just try and stop me. You know me, any opportunity to get my glad rags on and I'm there"

By this time they had reached the taxi and Jac handed Jil's holdall to the driver, before putting down the other bags she'd been carrying and giving Jil a hug. "It's been so nice to see you" she said. "I'll see you soon, OK, and don't forget about those texts."

"And you don't forget what you promised" Jil said, drawing back from the hug slightly, so she could see her friend's face. "You can do this!" she added, confidently, and smiled, before giving Jac one last huge hug, and whispering "And don't forget – dazzle them...Yep, just like that" she continued, as they finished their hug and she saw Jac's smile, "just like that!" She then handed Jac the suit cover she had been holding, and got into the taxi. After closing the door she opened the window and as the taxi started up, said, "Ok, I'll see you soon, bye" and began waving as the taxi pulled away.

Jac waved back until she could no longer see the taxi, and then picked up the rest of the bags and walked over to her car. After putting everything but her handbag in the back, she opened her door and climbed in, and after closing her door, sat for a moment thinking. She was pleased that Jil liked Jonny – she knew it shouldn't matter but also knew how much it did. Not that she'd been particularly worried – Jonny was, she thought, someone it would be quite hard to dislike, very hard actually – and Jil was one of those people who was always prepared to give people the benefit of the doubt, but still she did feel better somehow that they had met and got on so well. She'd tried to get more specifics about what Jil had said to Jonny on Friday but hadn't been very successful - Jil's stock answer of 'I was telling him how amazing you were' being the only one she'd got all weekend. She'd just have to ask Jonny instead, she was sure she'd have more success with him than Jil – he was nowhere near as good as Jil at resisting her….._yet_. At this thought, and as she remembered her promise to Jil, Jac felt slightly sick as the butterflies danced in her stomach. But after remembering Jil's oft-repeated 'You can do this', which she had said with such confidence throughout the weekend, and after taking a deep breath her nervousness settled, and she turned the key in the ignition to set off for work.

* * *

_Monday, 07.42. Nurse's station, Darwin._

Jac sat, checking her emails at the computer, keeping an eye on the ward as she did so. She could have done this in her office but wanted to be out here now, as, apart from her ward round, she wasn't going to be around much on the ward today. She had one of her clinics this morning and was then taking a study afternoon to work on her research project, so if everything went according to plan (which you could never guarantee in a job like hers) the ward staff would all be treated to a relatively Jac-free zone, which she was sure they'd all be pleased about. Well maybe not all, she thought, after further consideration, Jonny would probably miss her presence. Maybe she'd have to arrange a 'staff meeting' for them both to break up her research afternoon, after all, everybody knows that you have to have regular breaks when you're doing any kind of academic work. She smiled at this thought, and looking up and seeing Jonny coming down the corridor felt herself blushing slightly too, and looked down at the computer screen, as she was sure he'd be able to see what she was thinking. However, he headed straight for the locker room without looking over and as she watched him Jac felt the now familiar butterflies begin to stir in her stomach, but after taking a couple of deep breaths they began to settle again. This process was further helped when she noticed Louisa and Angela coming out of the staff room carrying steaming cups and each eating one of the extremely chocolatey biscuits that, along with a punnet of strawberries and grapes, she had brought in this morning. She was pleased that she'd managed to sneak them in to the staff room without being spotted by anyone, although she wasn't sure she agreed with Jil that she should have tried to do this. It didn't seem to make sense to her that people shouldn't know it was obviously her who'd brought them in, but she'd decided to trust Jil when she said that people would know anyway, and would think even more of her for not announcing the fact, and so had just put a post-it note which said

'Because it's Monday…..Enjoy!'

on one of the boxes of biscuits. At that moment, her phone vibrated in her pocket so she took it out of the pocket of her scrubs to see that Jil had sent her another text – she had already kept her promise and let her know that she'd arrived at the station 'safe and sound'. Her phone vibrated again as she opened the first text, and she smiled as she read it,

'On train now, and have a seat! Some lovely young man gave me his which is reserved all the way to Paddington – so having a melon stuck up your jumper does have some advantages! Will let you know when I get to London. J xxx'.

She then went back to her inbox to see who else had texted her – Jil again? She opened this text and her smile grew as she read the two words, it contained.

'PS. DAZZLE THEM!'

Shaking her head, she put her phone back in her pocket and looked up again, only to be confronted by Jonny, looking so cute in his scrubs, smiling at her as he leaned on the desk. "Oh, hey," she said, returning his smile, despite the fact that the butterflies had roused themselves again. Desperate to distract herself from these nerves she said the first thing that came in to her mind. "Did you win?"

"What?" Jonny said confusion evident on his face.

"The match – on Saturday," Jac explained, "the football."

"Oh right," Jonny answered, amazed and if he was honest, really pleased that she'd remembered. "No, it was a two all draw."

"And did you score?" Jac asked, still trying to settle the butterflies

"Nah," Jonny answered. "Not yet anyway!" he said, smiling suggestively at her.

Jac felt herself blushing again but couldn't prevent herself smiling in response, and even found herself saying, "Oh, that must be very disappointing for you! We'll have to see what we can do about that, won't we?"

"Oh yes, definitely." Jonny said, "Staff morale is very important on any ward, and you should take any opportunity possible to raise it. Maybe we need to arrange a meeting to discuss plans for team-building activities we can try?"

"Mmm, maybe we do – I'll have to check my schedule, but I'm sure I'll have some time today." Jac replied, before cheekily continuing. "Five minutes should be more than enough, don't you think?"

"Oh no," Jonny answered, "I'd say we'd need at least half an hour to _thrash out _all the details, and it's bound to be a _very stimulating_ conversation, so we'll probably need some time to centre ourselves afterwards too."

"Half an hour, you say?" Jac said.

"At the very least." Jonny replied.

"Well, I'll have to see what I can do." Jac continued, "because I do agree it's very important that all my team member's morale is raised as high as it can be. And whatever I can do to help that – well, you know, how passionate I am about helping out with that?"

"I certainly do!" Jonny said, remembering just how passionate Jac could be when she put her mind to it and smiling broadly at the memories. Jac, who had an idea what he was thinking about felt herself blushing again, but realised, thankfully, that their exchange had, at least for the moment, settled the butterflies that had been threatening to begin a disco in her stomach. So it was with a sense of regret as well as relief that she saw Tara and Oli approaching the nurse's station, knowing that this meant that her and Jonny's conversation would have to end, and that her day's work would begin properly. She stood up, and after quickly squeezing Jonny's hand and giving him one final smile, turned her attention to her errant junior doctors.

"Come on you two, chop, chop – I've got a clinic this morning, and if I have to keep my patient's waiting there because my ward round's started late, believe me you will regret it."

Meanwhile, Jonny marvelled at the switch she had just pressed, gone was the flirty, suggestive woman she'd been just a few moments before, replaced by the committed and demanding consultant cardiac surgeon he knew so well. 'Knew and loved so well,' he thought, 'knew and loved!'


	25. Promise kept!

**Hi Folks. Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews – please keep them coming. Only 2 or 3 more chapters to go in this story , so hope you enjoy this one…. **

* * *

_Monday, 15.36, Darwin_

The lift doors opened and Jac stepped out clutching the cup of coffee she'd bought from the café downstairs as if her life depended on her not spilling a drop. She could have made coffee in the staff room, there were, she was sure, still some of the cups Jil had washed on Friday in the cupboard, but she had needed to get away from the ward, to prepare herself for what was to come. She paused outside the ward, her hand on the door, took a deep breath remembering what Jil had said to her this morning 'You can do this', and with a swift nod of her head, as if affirming the truth of that simple statement, she pushed and the door to the ward opened…

As she walked down the corridor she looked for him in the bays on either side. Then she spotted him, 'DAMMIT!' he was at the nurse's station, and so it would seem were the world and his wife, or at least all the staff on shift. She stopped short, what to do now? She couldn't talk to him there…maybe this was a sign, fate telling her that this could wait, she could do it tomorrow, or the day after. 'Or the day after that or never!' she thought bitterly, no that just wouldn't do, couldn't be. 'You promised' she told herself sternly, and that thought was enough to start her moving again and the 'You can do this' mantra, she silently repeated to herself, kept her walking. She approached the nurse's station and said, in her best 'Miss Naylor consultant' voice "Nurse Maconie" and pausing long enough to see that she had his (and everyone else's) attention, continued "a word" before continuing on to the sanctuary of her office.

* * *

If she'd been in the mood Jac would have enjoyed the effect those four simple words had on the assembled group at the nurse's station. Louisa and Gwen exchanged glances and then looked, their faces full of sympathy, at Jonny. Oli also exchanged glances with Tara – a questioning look in his eyes, the shrug of her shoulders she answered it with, indicating that she had no idea what Jonny had done to upset Jac so much that she sounded like _that_ when she'd spoken to him. Then they also both turned to look at Jonny, who seemed stunned to have provoked such a reaction from Jac. Angela, who'd been working at the computer, tracked Jac's progress to her office, before she too spun her chair round to look at Jonny, the relief that it was him, not her, that Miss Naylor wanted to see when she was in that sort of a mood, evident on her face. "That sounds ominous mate" said Mo, voicing everybody else's thoughts, "What've you done to upset her?"

Jonny, who was desperately rewinding the day's events to try and work out what he could possibly have done wrong, was temporarily struck dumb. She'd been fine with him first thing, actually more than fine, she'd even asked him about the match on Saturday. Then she'd been in clinic for the rest of the morning, so he hadn't even seen her to annoy her. And the clinic had over-run (as they always did) which would have got on her nerves, but that was hardly his fault, and even _she_ couldn't blame him for it. And then after lunch she'd been working on her research project in her office and, again he'd only seen her briefly between times. He really didn't understand, but knowing that everybody was waiting for an answer to Mo's question, managed to get out "I have absolutely no idea" before, again desperately searching for the answer himself.

"Well you must have done something," Mo continued, "she hasn't been like that in ages – she sounds well p'd off."

"Well thanks for that Mo," Jonny countered, "that's really helpful. Just what I need to hear before I go in to speak to her!"

"On which point," Tara interrupted "sorry, I hate to say this but I don't think keeping her waiting is going to help your cause much. It'll just make her even angrier, and I really don't think you want that."

"Ooh no," Oliver chipped in, chirpily "angrier is definitely not good."

"And again, thank you" Jonny said sarcastically, "this just gets better and better. But" he continued grudgingly, "you are right I suppose, best get it over with." And so saying, he got up and set off for the office door.

The others watched him go, and couldn't help agreeing with Mo's final, whispered thought on the matter – "Dead man walking, that's what he is, a dead man walking"

* * *

Jonny was still trying to think of what he could possibly have done that would have upset Jac quite so much, forewarned is forearmed and all that, but kept drawing a blank. It didn't make sense - he'd hardly seen her at all today…unless that was the problem. Maybe she thought he should have tried to spend more time with her, he hadn't done anything about the 'staff meeting' and he could have waited till the clinic ended to have lunch with her – it didn't seem very likely but it was the only thing he could think of that might possibly explain her mood, and as such was what he was going to have to go on….

* * *

Unfortunately for Jac she wasn't in a state to even wonder what, let alone enjoy, the reaction her comment had had on the people assembled at the nurse's station. Once inside her office she headed straight for the comfort and security of her chair, but once sitting in it, found she couldn't settle and instead took to pacing between her desk and the door. As she paced she noted that, contrary to her predictions on Friday, Elliott's desk was still reasonably tidy, this thought made her smile slightly, until she remembered what she was going to do, and the smile faded. 'Where the hell is he?' she thought, 'How long can it take to walk from the nurse's station?' As if in answer to that question, there was a hesitant knock on the door, Jac stopped pacing halfway between the desk and the door, turned towards the sound and after taking a deep breath said "Come in" in a voice that she was surprised to hear sounded almost normal…..

* * *

On the short walk from the nurse's station to Jac and Elliott's office Jonny had decided that attack was the best form of defence. So, as soon as he opened the door, without looking at Jac, and reasoning that as long as he kept talking she wouldn't be able to have a go at him, he launched into his explanation. "Look Jac if this is about lunch I'm sorry OK. I know I haven't seen you this weekend, and I'm sorry about that too, but I just didn't think it was that big a deal. And I thought the clinic would over-run…

'What is he going on about?' Jac thought confused 'I didn't have lunch today, because that sad excuse for a sandwich from the canteen definitely didn't qualify for that description. It was probably against the trade descriptions act to even call it a sandwich, let alone lunch. I need to stop him' "Jonny" she said, but her voice was too quiet and Jonny didn't hear, so carried on his attempt to diffuse, what he presumed was Jac's anger by talking at her till she'd calmed down

"and I knew you wanted to work on your research project this afternoon so I didn't think you'd want to waste any of your time having lunch with me. But if I was wrong about that I'm so sorry,"

'I have to shut him up' Jac thought, and tried again. "Jonny" but her voice was still too quiet to break through his survival strategy and he carried on talking

"and I promise I'll make it up to you. I mean we could do something for lunch tomorrow – I'm on a late so I could come in early and we could go to the canteen, or I could bring something in for us both. I could get a take-out from that restaurant you like and we could" And then as he spoke he realised, of course this wasn't about lunch – she must have, somehow, found out about Mrs Trume's drip – oh crap, now he knew he really was in trouble. "Oh God," he found himself saying out loud "this isn't about lunch, is it? It's about Mrs Trume's drip isn't it? Look,"

'Mrs Trume's drip? What the hell had happened with Mrs Trume's drip?' Jac thought, before she sternly reminded herself 'It doesn't matter. That's not what this is about!"

"there is an explanation for that." Jonny continued, "I know it's no excuse but we'd just had a patient referred up from AAU and I was trying to sort them out, and I'd meant to tell Louisa to keep an eye on it whilst I was doing that but I forgot and"

'I need him to stop' Jac thought, 'or I won't be able to do this.' And with that thought in mind, she somehow summoned the force to say, again in her best Miss Naylor voice "Jonny please, be quiet"

And this time Jonny did hear, and, as she had instructed, stopped talking. And then he looked at her, properly, for the first time since he'd come into the office. She looked tense, nervous even – not the confident, self-assured Jac he was used to at all. "Are you OK?" he asked, suddenly concerned.

"Yes" Jac answered automatically, then more accurately "No," then most truthfully of all, "I don't know."

"What's wrong?" he asked, possible reasons for Jac's demeanour running through his head, he'd never seen her like this before – what was going on?

"Nothing's wrong, not really" Jac said, "it's just I couldn't think with you wittering on, and I couldn't get a word in edgewise either. And I need to say something before I change my mind."

"Right, OK" Jonny said, not really any the wiser, but relieved that there didn't appear to be anything seriously the matter. "Soooo…"

"So," Jac began, "I was wondering.." She stopped again, Jonny had never seen her so hesitant. She took a deep breath and started again, "If you….Do you have any plans for this evening" she finally managed to get out in a jumbled rush, before rushing to continue "Because if you don't I was wondering if you wanted to do something with me?" There she'd done it!

'Wow' whatever Jonny had thought she was going to say, that was definitely not it. Jac Naylor had just asked him out, _she_ had just asked _him_ out – he was temporarily stunned into silence, his brain scrambling to catch up with what his ears had heard, and to try and work out what it meant.

"So.." Jac prompted, waiting for an answer and still looking, Jonny noticed, tense, nervous even..

'So, indeed,' Jonny thought. He couldn't believe what had happened - it was always him who did the asking about 'normal coupley' things, and Jac who normally turned him down. Or, if she did agree, changed her mind for some reason, he thought, remembering how the last time they had arranged to go on a 'proper' date she had broken up with him. And now this….it almost didn't seem real, except it was and he realised he would have to say something soon. But what? For a few brief moments he considered making her sweat, perhaps asking her to repeat the question, so he could be sure he'd heard right. But then he looked at her, standing in front of him waiting for his answer, and he could see that she really wasn't sure what it would be – and it suddenly dawned on him what a massive thing this was for her to do, to show him her uncertainty, her insecurities. And so he said the only thing he could possibly have said in this situation. "No, I don't have any plans for tonight. But even if I had, I would have changed them to go out with you." And he was rewarded with one of her smiles, her special smiles – the ones that made him go a little bit wobbly inside – which lit up her face, and made her look so radiant he could have sworn she was glowing.

"So that's a yes then?" Jac said, seeking one final confirmation.

"Most definitely" Jonny assured her.

"Oh good" Jac replied, and breathed out for what felt like the first time since she'd entered the office.

"You didn't seriously think I'd say no?" Jonny asked incredulously. Jac shrugged her shoulders, but didn't answer, not wanting to say quite how unsure and nervous she'd been. "Honestly, Jac I can't believe you'd ever doubt it even for a second," he continued, as he pulled her into a hug, "you daft apeth! And to think I thought you'd got me in here to give me a rollicking – I've got to tell you this is a much better outcome from my point of view," he said smiling.

"Why would you think that?" Jac asked, drawing back slightly from Jonny's embrace so she could see his face, and sounding genuinely puzzled.

"Did you hear yourself when you asked me to come in here?" Jonny exclaimed, "frightening is not the word! The others are probably planning my funeral as we speak."

"Ah yes," Jac said, "the others."

"What about them?" Jonny asked nervously.

"I don't want them to know about this evening yet," Jac said definitely, disentangling herself from Jonny's arms and gently prodding his chest to emphasise her point, "not one word. I mean it Jonny, if I hear even one whisper about it, from anybody on the ward, then it's off – is that clear?"

"As crystal," Jonny replied. "But what am I meant to tell them when they ask me what you wanted me in here for?"

"Tell them I was giving you a rollicking about Mrs Trume's drip." Jac said, smiling. "I could shout at you, call you a few choice names now, if that'd help with the whole realism thing" she offered.

"Nah," Jonny answered, "that won't be necessary. I'll tell them you were in your 'silent but deadly' mode – that'll get me a bit more sympathy, and make it less likely that they'll ask questions. They'll think I'm too traumatised and hopefully just leave me alone to lick my wounds."

"Well as long as no-one offers to kiss you better, that's fine with me" Jac said, continuing "because the only person who's going to be kissing you today is me!" And so saying she lent in and kissed him gently on the lips, drawing away before Jonny had a chance to respond. "And that's a promise!" she said definitely. "Now go on, get out of here" she ordered.

"But we haven't discussed staff morale yet," Jonny objected, "or what you're going to do to help raise mine."

"Oh, I think we both know what I'm going to do to help you with that." Jac replied, "but unfortunately we'll have to discuss the finer details tonight. I don't have time for a 'staff meeting' now – I really can't spare half an hour when I've got all this work to get through" she continued, indicating the pile of papers on her desk.

"Well, we don't actually need half an hour" Jonny replied, moving closer towards her. "I'm sure we could cover everything we need to in, say 10 minutes."

"Oh no," Jac said, smiling wickedly and moving back towards her desk, "we have to do the subject justice, so I'd say half an hour is the very least amount of time we'll need. And, as we've already established that I don't have half an hour to spare, I'm afraid our discussions will have to wait till tonight. Sorry"

"But.." Jonny tried to object

"But nothing Jonathon," Jac interrupted. "Go on, out!" she continued pointing towards the door. And Jonny realising that she wasn't going to give in (no matter how much he could sense she wanted to), shrugged his shoulders, and headed towards the door. "And Jonny" Jac added, as he turned to look at her, "remember, not a whisper!" She followed him to the door, admiring the view as she did so and slammed it behind him – to keep up the pretence that she was angry with him to everybody waiting on the ward. Then she walked over to her chair, sat down and smiling to herself, took her phone out of her pocket and sent her own two word text to Jil:

'Promise kept!'


	26. Dazzling

**Hiya. Sorry about the delay in posting this chapter, hopefully it will be worth the wait. As always, thanks to everyone who's posted a review, and please, please, please keep doing so. BeckyA – am so glad you enjoyed the whole story so much, hope this chapter doesn't disappoint! Hi-World, I'm really glad you liked that bit of the last chapter – was one of my favourite bits too! I'm also a bit of a spelling/grammar nut but do write all mine on Word first which definitely helps.**

**Enjoy…..**

* * *

Monday, 17.24. Locker Room, Darwin

"Blooming thing" Jac muttered to herself, as she tried for the fourth time to do up the green bead necklace she was meant to be wearing tonight. 'For pity's sake' she thought to herself, 'you're a cardiac surgeon, how hard can this be?' On her fifth attempt she finally managed to do the fastening up and checked her reflection in the mirror, she wasn't really a jewellery person but had to admit that Jil had been right, the necklace and earrings did finish off her outfit perfectly. 'Yep' she thought, 'you'll do.' Though she knew that, as far as Jonny was concerned, she'd do wearing anything, 'or nothing', she thought with a smile. She wasn't sure how she'd managed to resist him in the office that afternoon – she had been so tempted, and she knew that the mixture of relief and elation she'd been feeling after he'd said yes would have made the experience even better than it was normally. But, she reflected, there was something to be said for delayed gratification - it could make the thing you'd be waiting for even sweeter when it finally happened, so Jac was sure that the end of the evening would be suitably satisfying for both her and Jonny. But then that side of things had always been good – right from the word go, when they'd played hooky from the second half of that people skills course – it was just most other things that they seemed to have problems with. As her train of thought went down this path Jac felt the, now familiar, butterflies fluttering in her stomach. 'Oh for goodness sake' she admonished herself 'it's just a date – millions of people go on them every night! Get a grip, Naylor.' And she shook her head, as if to ward off any more thoughts and folded the suit cover that had held her new top, so that she could out it in to her locker. 'But they're not you' a voice said in her head, refusing to stay silent, 'those millions of people having dates, they're not you! Jac Naylor doesn't do dates, Jac Naylor doesn't do relationships, Jac Naylor doesn't do commitment. Not anymore, not again, not after Joseph!' And at this thought the butterflies suddenly turned into a herd of stampeding wildebeest and Jac's legs went wobbly and she dropped the suit cover and had to sit down. She sat with her head in her hands for a few seconds before raising it again and brushing her hair away from her face with her hand. And that gesture reawakened a memory, of another time when she'd been sitting here and done the same thing…And she remembered how nice it was, how safe she'd felt, when Jonny had pulled her across the bench and put his arm around her, and how comfortable she'd felt leaning her head on his chest and for once letting someone look after her, how right it had felt. And the memory gave her courage, 'Jac Naylor does do dates,' she said to herself 'well at least she WILL do one tonight,' and then, well who knows – maybe she will do a relationship, maybe she'll even do commitment. 'I really think this time, now, maybe I can' she thought, and realised that the wildebeest had melted away, and even the butterflies had settled, and so she stood up, bent down to retrieve the suit cover and began to re-fold it. As she did this the door to the locker room opened and Tara came rushing in, seemingly shocked to see Jac there, she stopped just inside the threshold but then recovered her composure and carried on to her locker saying,

"Oh hey Miss Naylor," and because she always felt like she had to explain herself when she was with Jac, continued "I forgot that book you lent me on congenital heart defects – I'm going to read it when I get home, after I've been for a couple of drinks with Oli." As she spoke she sifted through the pile of books in her locker until she found it, and then said "Got it!" As she turned round she saw the look on Jac's face – somewhere between amused and perplexed – and panicking, said the first thing that came into her head. "Wow, that top really suits you. Are you doing anything special tonight?" And even as she said it she wished she could take it back 'why on earth did you ask her that?' she thought, and prepared herself to be told, in no uncertain terms, that it was none of her business what Jac Naylor was doing tonight. But to her amazement, the tirade didn't come, and what was more Miss Naylor answered the question. Not in a way that made any sense to Tara, but it was definitely an answer.

"You could say that – I'm keeping a promise"

"Oh," Tara said, desperately searching for something to say in reply, "that's …..nice?"

"Yes," Jac said, smiling, "it might be. I'm really beginning to think it could be."

"Well," Tara said, having no idea where this conversation was going, and feeling increasingly uncomfortable "I'd better get going, Oli'll be waiting." And, hurriedly putting the book she'd come back for in her bag, she headed for the door.

"Dr Lo," Jac said, stopping Tara in her tracks, "chapter 4 is a good place to start."

"What?" Tara asked confused, looking back at Jac.

"In that book," Jac answered, pointing at Tara's bag, "you shouldn't really need to read the first three chapters – it's all stuff you'll know."

"Oh right, thanks" Tara said, opening the door.

"And Tara," Jac said, and Tara once again stopped and turned back to face her expectantly, "have a nice evening"

"Oh right yes," Tara said, surprise evident in her voice, "thanks…You too" she just remembered to say before the door closed behind her.

"I'm going to try to" Jac answered, even though the door was closed and Tara wouldn't hear her. "Yep, operation nice evening starts here." And so saying, she finally put the folded suit cover in her locker and, after one last look at her reflection, closed the door. Then, after taking her jacket from the hook it had been hanging on all day and picking up her bag from the bench, she too walked out of the locker room…..

* * *

She glanced over at the nurse's station, remembering, with a smile, what she'd seen when she'd come out of her office, in search of a journal article, ten minutes or so after Jonny had left that afternoon. He had been sitting in the one comfy chair behind the desk, which she knew Mo normally claimed as her own, and then Tara and Angela had appeared from the staff room – Tara with a cup of tea and Angela with a selection of the biscuits she'd brought in this morning, which they both then proceeded to give to Jonny, after, Jac noted, giving him comforting pats on his back. Tea, sympathy AND biscuits – he must really have done a number on them! And if the look Mo had given her as she passed her in the corridor was anything to go by, he must have laid on the 'silent but deadly' line with a spade, never mind a trowel. But she'd decided then, and still thought now, that she could cope with being big, bad Jac for a little while longer if it meant there wouldn't be any gossip about their date before it actually happened. She had no illusions that this would be the case come tomorrow, especially not if she held her nerve and went through with the first part of her plan for the evening. But she had to hand it to him, whatever he'd said it had obviously worked – she hadn't heard even the shadow of an echo of a whisper about their date, and she knew that if anyone even suspected it'd be all around the ward in a heartbeat. 'Maybe I should be worried that he can lie quite so convincingly' she thought fleetingly, 'he DID say he was a compulsive liar the first time I met him after all'. But this train of thought didn't bear much scrutiny and she began to wonder how he had managed to get out of whatever Mo would have thought of to cheer him up after his 'mauling' by the Termi-Naylor. 'Another lie, I suppose' she thought, because she knew he wouldn't tell even Mo the truth because she'd asked, or to be more accurate, told him not to. Maybe the whole compulsive liar thing was something she should consider more seriously...but then again, she thought with a smile, probably not!

Her attention was caught by a small group of nurses and H.C.A's who were standing by the nurse's station in a huddle, obviously talking and occasionally looking over at her. She was sorely tempted to tell them to stop gassing and start nursing but realised that she had been standing outside the locker room, for no apparent reason, for quite some time so decided against that particular course of action, unwilling, as she was, to attract any more attention to her seemingly strange behaviour. Anyway, it really was time she went down to meet Jonny – she knew he'd stayed on the ward soaking up everyone's sympathy, long after his shift ended at four, but she suspected he would have left with Mo not long after five, and she didn't suppose it was fair to keep him hanging on for too long, fun maybe, but definitely not fair! And with that thought in mind and after a final 'Miss Naylor' glance over at the _still_ gossiping nurses, which she hoped expressed what she didn't want to say explicitly, she turned towards the ward doors and headed down the corridor. She was, however, stopped in her tracks by a very hesitant voice calling after her, "Erm…..Miss Naylor."

She turned and saw Sylvie, the newest and youngest HCA on the ward, who had separated from the gossiping group and was following her down the corridor. "Yes" she answered, expectantly

"Erm.." Sylvie continued, obviously nervous, "erm….we" she said, indicating the group of nurses she'd been talking with previously, "we just wanted to say thank you for the biscuits – they were really nice. And the strawberries and grapes too"

"Oh" Jac said genuinely surprised, (and thinking that was something else she was going to have to tell Jil she was right about) "that's OK. Anything that helps you get through Monday has got to be good, don't you think?" she asked with a smile.

"I suppose," Sylvie answered, returning Jac's smile, and looking, Jac noticed, mighty relieved. And suddenly everything fell into place….

"Did you draw the short straw?" she asked, continuing, as she saw confusion cloud Sylvie's face. "I'm presuming that's what your conflab was about" she said indicating the nurses who were still grouped around the nurse's station and looking over at the pair of them, "who should come over and say thank you"

"Erm ..yeah" Sylvie admitted, "but it wasn't like that we…."

"It's alright Sylvie," Jac said "no need to explain. But perhaps you could let the others know that I don't bite…. well" she continued, with another smile "not all the time anyway. And whilst you're at it, you could also remind them that they're not paid to stand around gossiping. So go on," she said, shooing Sylvie away, "go and nurse."

And Sylvie, who could tell from Jac's expression and tone of voice that she wasn't really annoyed, began to walk back to the nurse's station to pass the messages on. But feeling brave (because she really hadn't thought that Miss Naylor had ever even noticed her, let alone knew her name) turned back and called after Jac who had begun walking down the corridor again, "Miss Naylor – have a nice evening." And was rewarded for her courage by one of Jac's best smiles, bestowed on her as she turned back to glance down the ward before leaving through the doors.

* * *

Once outside the confines of the ward Jac had time, whilst waiting for the lift, having ruled out the possibility of using the stairs in_ these_ shoes, to begin to get nervous again. The butterflies had begun to flutter again, and if it hadn't been for the fact that there was someone in the lift who didn't get out she might have been tempted not to get in it when it finally arrived. As the lift went down Jac's nervousness increased, and for once she welcomed the fact that it stopped at every floor and the inevitable wait as people exited and entered through its doors, as each delay put off the moment of truth. By the time it had reached the ground floor the butterflies were well and truly dancing and Jac found that she wasn't quite ready to step out of the reassuring confines of the lift walls just yet. So as, amazingly, there was nobody waiting to go up in the lift, Jac pressed the button for the basement, and felt the relief set in as the doors closed on Wyvern reception. This feeling of relief grew as she stepped from the lift into the dimly lit world of the basement, and became even more pronounced as the lift doors closed behind her and she heard it going up again. However, the relief faded to be replaced by a growing incredulity at her behaviour - what on earth was she doing down here? Jonny would be waiting for her upstairs – lovely, kind, funny Jonny, who made her feel safe when he held her, and who, despite everything she had thrown at him, still, amazingly, wanted to be part of her life. She had to get a hold of herself "For goodness sake Jac" she said out loud into the gloom "you can't skulk down here for the rest of the evening." And right on cue, Jac's phone buzzed as it received a text. She knew, without looking who it would be from and as she read the two words it contained, smiled, perhaps there was something in this whole BFM after all. She put her phone back in her bag, took a deep breath and pressed the button to call the lift back down. It didn't take long to arrive and the journey up to the ground floor didn't provide enough time for her to think too much about anything. As the lift doors opened she took one last deep breath before stepping out into the reception area. She saw Jonny immediately, sitting on one of the chairs near the main door, and then he looked over and, noticing her, smiled. And Jac, remembering Jil's text smiled back – one of her best, most traffic-stopping, laser-powered beams – and as she did so, and saw it producing the desired effect on Jonny, she realised just how easy it would be for her to follow Jil's advice and 'DAZZLE HIM!'


	27. Epilogue (Dazzled)

**So, we've finally arrived at the last chapter of this story – I had no idea it would be so long or take so long to write, so thank you to everyone who's stuck with it! Firstly, have to apologise for the extraordinarily long delay in updating this – have been having some issues with my laptop which, thanks to my own dunderheadedness, have taken longer than they should have to sort – so sorry! But (and in my defence) because I wanted to have this as just one chapter, it is rather long, so took a fair while to write. As always, would love to hear what everyone thinks so please review, and I hope you enjoy…**

* * *

Tuesday, 6.04. Bedroom, Jonny's flat.

Jonny sat up in bed watching Jac sleep. She looked so peaceful, almost angelic with her porcelain-like skin and her auburn hair fanned across the pillow like a halo. Jonny had trained himself, in the last few months, to wake up before his alarm went off, so when Jac stayed over he could do this – watch her sleep. Of course, it also meant that on the days Jac wasn't there he was invariably awake before he needed to be, but he'd concluded this was a sacrifice worth making. He just loved watching her and, even though he knew that Jac would be horrified if she ever found out, he'd also concluded that it was a risk worth taking. As he watched her he thought about last night and everything that had happened, and how things seemed to have changed…..

* * *

He remembered looking up and seeing her, just outside the lifts, smiling at him as she walked over to where he was sitting. And he remembered saying as she got close enough to hear him, "Wow, you look just.…. just stunning" and standing up to get a better view. And noticing how the green top, which he didn't remember ever seeing before, brought out the colour of her beautiful emerald eyes, and how, once again, her smile made her seem as if she was glowing. And he remembered how her smile, almost impossibly, seemed to get even bigger at his words, as she answered

"So that's something else I'm going to have to tell Jil she was right about then," explaining further, "we went shopping on Saturday and she picked out this top. Said it was perfect for me"

"Well she was right" Jonny answered. "You look pretty damn perfect to me!" And he noticed the colour rise in her cheeks, and remembered thinking to himself. 'She's blushing! I've made Jac Naylor, consultant cardio-thoracic surgeon, blush – wonders will never cease!' But even her obvious embarrassment at the compliment didn't seem to put off her stride, and her smile never dimmed, if anything getting brighter as she thanked him. And Jonny wondered if he should maybe compliment her more often – remembering suddenly what Jil had said about how Jac had never been good enough in her mother's eyes. And he found himself thinking about how different Jac might have been if she'd had an upbringing like his rather than her own, only for his train of thoughts to be interrupted by Jac saying.

"Right, you ready then?"

To which he had replied, before he could stop himself, "Ready, willing and able, baby. Ready, willing and able!" And Jac's reaction was just what he expected, a roll of her eyes and a sarcastic comment:

"Oh no, you're not going to be like this all evening are you?"

"Like what?" Jonny asked because, despite himself, he could never quite get enough of Jac's one-liners, and sometimes even stole them to use himself (out of her earshot obviously).

"Like a love-sick puppy on speed!" Jac replied.

"Only if you want me to" Jonny had cheekily responded grinning, before, after seeing Jac's expression, hurriedly correcting himself. "No, of course not. Normal service will now be resumed."

"Hmmm," Jac said, "I'm not sure that'll be much better, but I suppose it'll have to do." Continuing, "You coming?" before heading for the exit.

Once they were outside the hospital Jonny had turned towards the car park and begun rooting round in his bag for his car keys, only for Jac to say, "You won't need your keys, well not yet anyway. I thought we could get a drink first, at Albie's."

"Are you sure?" Jonny asked, genuinely surprised at this turn of events. Albie's was where most of the hospital staff went for a drink at the end of their shifts and would be full of people Jac knew, or at least who knew of her, and there was no possible way their date would remain secret if they turned up there.

After a split seconds hesitation, Jac answered very definitely. "Yes, yes I'm sure!" Before continuing, "In for a penny and all that," and smiling, Jonny thought, nervously at him. Then, after linking her arm through his, they headed off across the gardens towards the bar.

* * *

When they arrived outside Albie's, Jac paused for a moment, took a deep breath and, after a quick sidewards glance at Jonny, who gave her, what he hoped was a reassuring and encouraging smile, she opened the door and walked in, still arm in arm with him. She stopped just inside the door and glanced around – spotting Oli and Tara sitting with Mo, as well as Angela and Gwen from Darwin. And although it wasn't like it was in the movies, when suddenly the music stops and everyone turns to stare, Jonny was aware (and was sure that Jac was too) that their entrance, together, had attracted attention. He sensed Jac's discomfort and briefly wondered if she might turn round and walk straight out again. However, she was made of sterner stuff than he gave her credit for (when would he learn?) and instead, after finally unlinking her arm from his, walked to the bar. There she ordered (following the terms of the 'agreement' she had outlined to him on the walk from the hospital to the bar – 'I drink, you drive') a glass of red wine for herself and a coke for him. When the drinks arrived, Jonny was again surprised to find Jac heading towards, not one of the booths at the back of the bar, but to a table near the front windows, where they would be in full view of everyone. She really was going for the whole 'in for a penny' thing! Before he sat down he happened to glance over at the Darwin table, the occupants of which, he decided, were definitely talking about him and Jac. He also saw Mo's face and realised that he was going to have a lot of explaining to do in the morning, but he was sure she would understand when he explained, and that was something to think about tomorrow, for now his focus had to be on tonight.

Throughout their relatively short time at Albie's (their table was booked for 7), Jonny could tell that, though she was trying her best, Jac was nowhere near relaxed. He knew how much she despised gossip, or more accurately being gossiped about, so could only imagine how difficult this, opening up their relationship for the whole hospital to talk about, was for her. And knowing how hard it was, he was incredibly proud of her for doing it. Jac's tension levels did reduce slightly as the evening went on and she even managed to smile over at the 'Darwin table' when Oli went to get another round in, and a short conversation with Sacha when he came in with the new F1 from AAU. However, the fact that she was not at all comfortable there became evident when Michael Spence came through the door. She must have seen him coming because Jonny sensed, even before he came into the bar, that Jac's tension levels had risen again, noticing how her grip had tightened on the now almost empty wine glass she was holding, and how the focus of her attention kept switching from him to the door. He knew as soon as he saw Michael what Jac was worried about – he was aware of the now fractious nature of their relationship (and the reasons for it, even though the plastics scandal, and its fallout, was before his time) and guessed that Jac was dreading one of Michael's trademark smart-arse comments. Luckily for all of them, because there was no way Jonny could have let any such comment go without making a stand, before he'd even got to the bar Michael received a phone call and was soon embroiled in a loud, and very acrimonious sounding, slanging match with what Jonny presumed was his ex-wife. Meanwhile, Jac had drained her glass and after glancing at her watch and, Jonny noticed, over at Michael, said. "Come on, we'd better get going if we're going to be there for 7."

Jonny, who realised that Jac's keenness to leave was more to do with not wanting to be confronted by an angry and bitter Michael, than any real concern about their being late, also recognised the wiseness of this decision and agreeing said. "Yep, suppose we better had." Getting up whilst he said it and, ever the gentleman, helping Jac, who was already standing, on with her coat, before putting his own jacket on. Then they walked out of Albie's together, Jonny turning briefly to wave at the 'Darwin table' before leaving.

Once they were outside Jac visibly relaxed and Jonny was, once again reminded of what a milestone this was for her and their relationship, and how difficult it had been for her to reach this point. As if reading his mind Jac had said, after taking a very deep breath. "Thank goodness that's over – now the fun can really start", before linking her hand through his and heading back towards the hospital

* * *

The restaurant Jac had booked was fairly near to Jonny's flat and was one that they'd talked about going to many times on their drives back to the hospital in the morning, but never had – food normally being one of the last things on their minds on their evening journeys from the hospital. They arrived at just before seven, after a drive in which Jonny had told Jac all about his 'date detection deterrent' efforts from earlier that day. Describing how he had been so convincing with his sob story about 'mean Miss Naylor' giving him hell about Mrs Trume's drip that, not only had Mo given up her chair for him, she'd also offered to share her Cadbury's Dairy Milk with him. An offer, he was quick to point out, that he had declined, feeling, as he did, slightly guilty about his deception. "But not too guilty to sit on the chair or to accept the tea and biscuits that Tara and Angela brought you?" Jac remarked, smiling.

"No," he'd had to admit, smiling back at her, "not that guilty."

He was pleased to see that away from the bar Jac had, for the first time that evening, properly relaxed and seemed to be enjoying herself and, as they briefly sat in the car before heading into the restaurant, he vowed to do everything he could to ensure that this state of affairs continued for the rest of the night. So, when Jac made a move to leave the car, he said, "No. no you stay there" and got out himself and rushed round to open her door, offering her his hand as he did so.

She took it, saying with a smile, "You're an idiot! You know that, right?" before leaning in and kissing him gently to negate her words. Her lips lingered on his for a few seconds but before it became one of, what he liked to think of as their trademark 'deep and meaningfuls', she drew away from him, and, keeping her hand in his, they walked into the restaurant.

* * *

He couldn't really remember much about their meals – only that the food was good and that he was amazed how much Jac had eaten of it. True, _he_ had eaten the majority of the 'sharing starter' they had ordered, and she had ordered another starter as her main, 'got to leave room for pudding' she'd said, he presumed joking. So, imagine his surprise when not only did she polish off every bit of her meal but when the dessert menu was brought round she ordered a dark chocolate brownie with cream. And when it arrived, with his coffee (which was the only thing he'd thought he had room for) and she began to tuck in, he remembered thinking, 'She'll never finish all that.' But she did! Remarking as he watched her, the surprise obviously evident on his face. "What? I'm sure I'll work it off tonight!" smiling wickedly and beginning to play footsie with him under the table to emphasise her point.

What he did clearly remember about the evening was the conversations they had had. They talked practically non-stop for the duration, and Jonny realised that this was probably the longest time, since the people's skills course where they had met all those months ago, they had ever spent together when they weren't working or asleep. They talked and talked, about everything and nothing. Jac pumped him for information on what Jil had told him on Friday, elaborating on some of the stories, minimizing most of them with a 'It was just what anyone would have done', and dismissing the potentially psychopathic ex-boyfriend with one of her classic one-liners. 'Oh him, he was just someone I dated _before_ I developed good taste in men.' It was only really when she spoke about Paula that things got difficult for her and, although she didn't actually cry, her beautiful emerald eyes did become bejewelled with tears which she blinked away with a sad smile. And then, when, despite himself, he mentioned Joseph he expected to see tears in her eyes again, and was relieved, and so very pleased, to see that this wasn't the case. And as she explained, holding _his_ hand across the table, that for her, now, Joseph was someone she _used_ to love, he began to think, possibly for the first time, that he was someone she could love too. And they talked about work, and Jac explained how her research was going, and he was struck once again by her passion, and was reminded that this was one of the things he loved about her. And they talked about the people at work – about Hanssen's return and how it must have put Serena's nose out of joint; about the budding romance between Ranjit and Suraya on Darwin, which if he'd been asked, Jonny would have said Jac wouldn't have noticed, let alone been interested in; and about the new F1's and which of them they thought would win the coveted F1 prize – Jac's money was, surprisingly on Arthur Digby (Malick's mentee) rather than Gemma Wilde who he thought she'd have favoured. And they talked about their interests – Jac's love of motorbikes and where it had stemmed from (Jil's dad had had one when they were small and had sometimes let them sit on it); and her plans to travel the world 'doing the medical conference circuit' when she made a major breakthrough in her research. He dared to talk about football (just for a little bit) telling her about the other members of his team and his life-long devotion to Kilmarnock football club and also about his newly re-discovered interest in astronomy ('where I used to live, when I was small, you could just see so many stars – it was amazing!') And he discovered that she loved all the foreign dramas they showed on BBC4 ('Yes Jonny the ones with subtitles'), that she was allergic to aniseed, hated goat's cheese and had a cleaner, called Jenny, who came once a week for a couple of hours because 'the last thing I want to worry about when I get home from work is cleaning the bathroom'. Also, that they shared a liking for 'The Simpsons' (Jac confessing that sometimes, when she was home early enough, she watched it instead of the news) and for any of David Attenborough's TV programmes; that they both wanted to go to New Zealand because of 'Lord of the Rings'; and most amazingly of all, that their paths had almost crossed work-wise several years before they had actually met, Jac leaving just weeks before Jonny started (with Mo) at Charing Cross. And when he asked her why she'd asked him out that afternoon he found out that Jac wasn't the only one who owed a vote of thanks to Jil for dispensing good advice: "I promised Jil" she'd answered simply.

"You promised Jil you'd ask me out?" he'd asked, puzzled.

"No," she'd said, continuing, the colour rising fetchingly in her cheeks again. "No. I promised her that I'd give us, and me being happy a really good go."

"Ahh, so _us_ and _you_ being happy are connected then?" Jonny asked, correctly guessing how Jil and Jac's conversation had gone.

"Well Jil certainly seems to think so" Jac admitted. "And, as she's been right about practically everything else who am I to argue?" And Jonny made a mental note that the next time he saw her he'd give Jil his best thank you kiss – he was beginning to realise quite how much he owed Jac's best friend, and also the trust she had placed him in. Jil was Jac's best friend and she thought he could make Jac happy – and he was suddenly filled with an even greater determination to fulfil that responsibility, and to be proved worthy of that trust.

And then, seemingly in no time at all, the meal was eaten and Jac was asking for the bill. She insisted on paying half and although Jonny did object, he wasn't too vociferous, correctly surmising that there was no point, and remembering one of his nan's pearls of wisdom 'Choose your battles carefully' deciding that this one really wasn't worth arguing about.

* * *

The short drive to Jonny's flat didn't take long, and was passed mainly in a companionable silence – with just a few comments about how nice the food at the restaurant had been and how they'd have to go there again soon. It was as if, Jonny thought looking back, neither of them had wanted to break the spell that seemed to have been cast over the evening by talking about it too much, although as he actually now knew, the evening's real magic was still to come! They remained sitting in silence for a few moments after Jonny had parked the car in front of his apartment block, before he said "Home sweet home" and smiled over at Jac. She returned the smile and leaning in kissed him softly, before gently pulling away and making a move to get out of the car. At this Jonny once again said "No, no you stay there" and got out of the car to open her door for her – earning, not a comment this time, but a roll of Jac's eyes to show that she _still_ thought he was an idiot. However, she also, once again, softened this blow to his ego with a kiss, except this time it did develop into one of their 'deep and meaningfuls' and by the time they finally separated, what seemed like aeons later, Jac could have called Jonny all the names under the sun and he wouldn't even have noticed, let alone cared. And from the dreamy expression on Jac's face it wasn't just Jonny who the kiss had affected in this way. And so it was that they entered Jonny's apartment block together, Jonny's arm draped over Jac's shoulder as he opened the communal door and they both stepped into the warmth of the foyer. "Lift or stairs?" Jonny asked, removing his arm from Jac's shoulder and linking his hand through hers instead

"Lift?" Jac answered, with a shrug, indicating that she didn't really mind which they used. So they walked over to the lift and Jonny pressed the button to call it. It must already have been on the ground floor because the doors opened almost immediately and they stepped in, still hand in hand, before Jac pressed the button for the 3rd floor. She then turned towards Jonny and lent into him placing her head against his chest whilst he, immediately and seemingly unconsciously, raised the hand Jac wasn't already holding to rest on her shoulder. Jac was thinking how different this lift ride felt from her last one, and was now finding it almost unbelievable that she could have even been slightly worried about this evening, let alone so scared that she'd had to seek sanctuary in the hospital basement. It seemed so long ago and far away now, and she felt so safe in Jonny's arms that she wasn't sure she'd ever need to feel scared again, as long as she had him. Meanwhile, Jonny was also thinking how nice this, him holding her like this, felt, but also how very different it was from normal. Usually by this stage in their journey to his flat their hands would have been all over each other and extraneous items of clothing would already have been removed, to be swept up in a rush as they stumbled out of the lift to his front door, which he would almost invariably have trouble opening because they were both so eager to get inside to finish what they'd already started. So it felt very strange for him to arrive, fully clothed, at his front door, and to be able to open it with no problems, just holding Jac's hand – but he decided, strange in a good way, in a very good way!

* * *

And the break from normality continued once they were inside the flat. Instead of heading straight for the bedroom, as was their normal pattern, tonight the first thing Jac did when she got inside, after finally letting go of Jonny's hand, was to slip off her shoes. She then headed off down the corridor towards his lounge. Jonny watched her until she disappeared from sight into the lounge, enjoying the view (as he always did) only to be woken from his reverie by Jac calling "Are you going to leave me by myself in here all evening or what?" Before popping her head round the door to look at him, continuing, "Come on Jonny, where's this famous Scottish hospitality you're always telling me about?", and smiling disappeared from view again. At this, Jonny, spurred into action, hurried down the corridor and on entering the lounge and finding Jac looking at the books in his bookcase said,

"I can show you some Scottish hospitality now if you'd like?"

Crossing over to where Jac stood, turning her round and kissing her very gently, pulling away just long enough for her to say "Oh I do like Jonny, very much" before he lent in once more and started kissing her again. And when, eventually (aeons later) they stopped kissing – the need to breathe properly finally trumping their need to be joined at the lips – Jac smiled and said "Mmm, maybe you're not such a bad host after all, but isn't it usually customary to offer your guests a drink?" At this, Jonny went into 'host with the most' mode – quickly making Jac the decaff coffee she asked for ('think I'll have enough stimulation tonight without adding caffeine into the mix') before finally getting a 'proper' drink himself – Johnnie Walker black label ('mmm ambrosia'). And then he endured Jac's gentle teasing about his music collection "Take That, Jonny! Really?...…Status Quo! Oh grief, I can't believe I'm going out with someone who likes Status Quo! What is the world coming to?"

He also willingly answered all the questions Jac asked about the many photographs scattered around the room, before finally getting her to sit down by him on the sofa by saying. "You're making me feel bad you know?" continuing when he saw the puzzled look on Jac's face, "It's really bad form in Scotland for a host to be sitting down whilst his guest is standing, so please" and he patted the seat next to him "will you not take a seat." So that was how he and Jac ended up on his sofa, Jac curled up with her head resting on his chest, whilst he stroked her hair, watching the end of a repeat of 'New Tricks'. Which led Jac to reveal that she'd quite liked Dennis Waterman in his 'Minder' days (primarily it seemed because it was Jil's dad's favourite television programme), and to get out of Jonny that his first real crush was on Kate Bush. ('You see, even when I was small I was attracted to strong women').

They then started to watch the news but, after seeing the headlines, Jac, rather guiltily asked "Is there anything else on?" and they ended up watching 'Never Mind The Buzzcocks' instead. And when that was over Jac said, "Right then, Newsnight?" sitting up slightly so she could see Jonny's face.

It fell slightly, but he gallantly replied "If you want", before Jac's face broke into a smile and she said, shaking her head, the mirth evident in her voice,

"Of course I don't want! Come on let's go to bed!" Turning the TV off before planting a kiss on his forehead and then standing up and holding out her hand, which Jonny took, allowing himself to be led towards his bedroom…..

* * *

And it was in this familiar room, in this familiar situation, with this, now, familiar person that Jonny realised, looking back on the evening, the real shift that had taken place in their relationship showed itself most clearly. Gone was the hurried urgency that had always been their pattern. In its place: slow, measured movements; a relaxed, patient build-up; and lots and lots of kisses! And it wasn't like a fireworks display anymore, instead it reminded Jonny of the Northern lights he had seen once on a holiday in the Orkney Islands – natural and breath-taking; beautiful, all-encompassing and slightly awe-inspiring. And in between times there was talking and touching and laughing and kissing, before the Aurora Borealis danced again, and again. And afterwards, Jac lay in his arms, her head resting on his chest, one of her hands holding one of his, whilst his other gently stroked her hair until she fell asleep. And he watched her for as long as he could, delighting in the sight as he always did, but also in the feeling of her being in his arms, which he'd never experienced before, until finally ,he too fell asleep.

Which brought him back to here and now – watching Jac sleep and longing to touch her, to hold her in his arms again. He knew he should be tired but instead he was so full of energy it felt like he was buzzing, like he could take on the world. It was as if some of the magic that had existed in this room last night had spilled over to this morning. And he wondered if the spell would be broken when Jac woke, and though he wanted desperately to have her near him, a part of him again, there was the smallest of doubts in his mind that when she did awaken everything would revert to how it had been before. So he didn't want to take the risk (however small) and contented himself with watching her.

And then Jac stirred in her sleep rolling slightly towards him, and that small action was enough to break his resolve. The temptation became too great and he realised that his need for her was stronger than any worry about what might happen when she woke. So he very lightly ran his hand from her shoulder down her naked arm, before linking his fingers through hers and gently squeezing her hand. His actions had the desired effect – Jac began to show signs of wakefulness, and lightly squeezed his hand back, in response to his continued gentle pressure. To help the process along Jonny lent down and kissed her softly on the lips, his mouth lingering there for a few seconds, until he felt her begin to respond, when he drew back and sitting up again remarked as if to himself "Sleeping Beauty, woken by a kiss". And Jac's eyes flickered, and then opened, and he noticed again how lovely they were, and said "Mornin' gorgeous" and smiled at her. And he felt her respond, pulling him down towards her with the hand he had been holding, and he realised that there had been no reason to worry – the magic wasn't in the room, it was between them and always would be! And then Jac smiled and Jonny, dazzled, realised he really was in trouble now!

* * *

**So there it is - hope you all enjoyed it and that there was enough Jac/Jonny love for everyone! Again I'd like to thank everyone who's stuck with this story and taken the time to read and review it - it's great to hear what everyone thinks, so please don't stop now! I've really enjoyed writing this, and have at least one more idea (which will also involve Jil) which I hope to start writing soon, so watch this space...****.**


	28. Loose Ends & Bonus Features

**I know I said this story was finished but I noticed that as it stood it was 49,625 words long, which was so close to 50,000 it's almost untrue. Also, I have a real dislike of loose ends (which I've always thought the other side of the phone calls were) and as I've always known what Jil was saying, and if like me you're incredibly nosey, I thought you might like to know too. So you now have the full transcript of the two phone calls featured in this story – Jac's bits are in italics and Jil's (the new bits) in bold. And then I thought I might as well do a teeny bit more (which sort of snowballed), so just like a DVD there are some bonus features too. Hope you enjoy them, and as ever please review…..**

* * *

**Tying Up Loose Ends**

From Chapter 3

Jonny meanwhile was watching intently as Jac dialled the number, 9 for an outside line then 020 something,7, 8? He couldn't tell, but it was definitely a London number, well, that narrowed it down then – just the 5 million or so households to worry about! He watched Jac's face as she waited for an answer on the other end, she'd turned away but he could still see her side profile – God she was beautiful. He saw her expression change as the call was answered, saw a smile form on her lips, but he couldn't hear who it was on the other end of the phone.

"_Hey, it's me. You weren't worried were you – there was an accident on the M4, so I've not long got here"_

"**Hey you. No it's OK I heard about it on the travel news."**

"_Oh good, I thought you probably would have"_

"**You made good time then considering. Lucky you had the bike though."**

"_I know. Well I'd better be quick, I'm using a work phone"_

"**Not your mobile?"**

"_No it's still playing up – reckon I'm going to need a replacement" _

"**Oh, that's annoying – when are you going to have time to do that?"**

"_Tell me about it – like I don't have enough to do saving people's lives on a daily basis"_

"**Oh poor you – it's annoying though, cos we could have done it on Saturday if we'd known it was going to keep playing up. I suppose you'll just have to do it this weekend instead."**

"_Right OK, well I just wanted to let you know I hadn't killed myself"_

"**Thanks – that's good to know. I don't suppose there's any chance that if I tell you to drive carefully on that bike, so you wouldn't need to reassure me you hadn't killed yourself, that you'd actually listen to me."**

"_Some hope! But you know I love you right?"_

Jonny's heart dropped like a stone, and he stole a look at Mo, who was also trying to earwig whilst appearing not to, feigning great interest in the bottom of her hair so she could bend down closer to where Jac was standing. She had _that_ look on her face – the one she reserved for lame ducks and hopeless cases – he hated that look! And Jac had told the truth about her phone not working and surely if she was seeing somebody else **even Jac** wouldn't just admit that she loved him in front of her other boyfriend, would she?

"**Of course I know that, I just wish sometimes you were as concerned about yourself as you are about me. But that's a conversation for another time, and I don't want to keep you too long – lives to save and all that. So, I'll see you Friday then, bye. And you will be careful on that bike won't you?**

Jac who was oblivious to the emotionally charged but silent furore her last comment had caused finished off her call. _"Ok, I'll see you soon, bye"_, and turned back towards them, replacing the receiver in its cradle as she did so.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo o

From Chapter 5

Once inside, she stood for a moment beside the main doors, considering her options, she should, she knew, go straight up to the ward but then she'd have to have coffee in one of those manky cups from the staff room – honestly she was amazed no-one had caught botulism or something from them. Or she could buy a coffee from the shop down here, although there was quite a queue, and they were usually really slow. Before she had a chance to decide her phone started to ring, she retrieved it from her bag, it was a replacement for the one which had died last weekend and it took her a few seconds to answer it, as she was still getting used to how it was set up.

"_Hey sweetheart"_

"**Hi Jac, it's me."**

"_What's up?" _

"**Well, I've got a confession to make but you've got to promise me you won't be angry!"**

"_Why would I be angry?"_

"**Well, erm it's just I'm already on my way down."**

"_What do you mean you're on your way? You're not meant to be here till after seven!"_

"**I know, but I got an earlier train."**

"_An earlier train, why?"_

"**Well Daniel had to get up at stupid o'clock this morning to get to the airport so I was already awake, and well then it just seemed to make more sense for me to go out with him to the station. And I was planning to do some shopping in town but then, when I got there I just couldn't face it, so well, I just got on the first train to Bristol. It only left 10 minutes ago though, so it'll be at least another hour and a half before I get there." **

"_But I've bought the bike to work this morning, I was going to pop home and get the car before picking you up tonight, and don't you even suggest that you can get on the bike."_

"**Well, that's OK – I'll just go to yours."**

"_No you can't!"_

"**But I've got my keys."**

"_It's not that, it's not ready yet"_

"**What do you mean it's not ready?"**

"_It's just not"_

"**What do you want me to do then?"**

"_Right, well you'll have to come here and amuse yourself until I finish, then I'll go home and get the car and come back here and take you home"_

"**OK, if you're sure it's not too much of a bother"**

"_No, well obviously it __**is**__ but it's fine."_

"**Right, that's sorted then – I'm to come to you at the hospital and then we'll go from there, yeah?"**

"_OK, so you get a taxi here and when you arrive phone me, and if I don't answer get the receptionist to bleep me. I'll let her know that someone might ask her to"_

"**Brilliant, thanks."**

"_Right, OK then I'll see you in a little while"_

"**Yeah, I reckon I'll be at the hospital in about 2 hours, give or take. So I'll see you then"**

"_Yeah, bye"_

"**Bye – and Jac thanks."**

"_OK, see you soon"_ and Jac ended the call.

"Honestly, what a nuisance" she muttered, but the smile she wore belied her words, "Absolutely typical" she added, her smile growing. Right, first the receptionist and then a coffee, stuff the queue, the ward could wait

* * *

**Bonus Features**

_1) The Morning After_

_Tuesday, 07.17. Car Park, Jonny's Apartment Block_

"Jonny, come on. We're going to be late" Jac called as she stood holding the front door of his block open. 'For goodness sake," she thought, 'how long can it take to lock a door and walk down three flights of stairs.' "Right, Jonny I'll see you by the car" she called out again, adding to herself as she exited the building, "if he thinks I'm going to stand around like a lemon all day, holding that door open for him, then he's got another thing coming."

She paced up and down the length of Jonny's car, kicking up the loose stones on the tarmac of the car park as she did so. "Finally," she exclaimed, as hearing the front door open she looked up and saw Jonny coming through it, "What took you so long?" she asked. "We're going to be late! Oh, it doesn't matter," she conceded, "just open the door and we can get going." And she turned back to the car and tried the handle – the door didn't open. "Jonny, can you open the doors please," she repeated assuming he hadn't heard the first time, and watching him as he walked towards her. But he made no move to do anything with his car keys, which Jac could now see were in his hand, instead he walked purposefully towards her, and as she turned to face him, she saw him put them in his jeans pocket. "Jonny? Come on, stop messing around, we're going to be late!" she said, a slight edge of annoyance creeping into her voice.

But Jonny, who was still feeling like the King of the World, was undaunted by this, and positioning himself in front of Jac, said, "You'll have to kiss me first!"

"What? Jonny we don't have time for this!" Jac said, realising as Jonny placed his arms on the car behind her, that she was trapped.

"Well, we'll have to make time then won't we" Jonny said, smiling, and with a look on his face that Jac knew well "Because, I'm afraid, we're not going anyway till we've done the deed"

"Jonny, I'm warning you.." Jac said

"You're wasting time Jac," Jonny interrupted, "if you'd done what I asked the first time round we could have been done by now and be on ou…"

And then he was kissed into silence by Jac who had figured that actually he was right and as Jonny obviously wasn't going to do anything if she didn't kiss him, she might as well just get on and do it. And before she lost herself in kissing him, she had the satisfaction of thinking 'There, that shut him up', before all other conscious thoughts were driven from her mind by the sensations engendered by his lips on her. And she was vaguely aware that Jonny's arms were round her and that somehow her arms were round him too but, apart from that there was nothing but him kissing her and her kissing him. And as another one of their 'deep and meaningfuls' ended and she emerged from this kiss-filled fugue she was also vaguely aware that the phone in her coat pocket had buzzed, meaning that she'd got a text, and thought, with no sense of worry or urgency, 'That's probably Elliott, wondering where I am'. And then Jonny was smiling at her, and she was smiling back at him, before after giving him one final kiss she said, "Right, can we go now."

To which he replied, taking his car keys out of his pocket and unlocking the doors, "Of course, your wish is my command." Before he moved back to release Jac and as she turned round said, "Uh, uh" and with a flourish moved her out of the way and opened the car door for her.

"Idiot!" she said affectionately, with a characteristic roll of her eyes, before she climbed in to the car, and Jonny closed the door.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

_2) Text Talk_

_Tuesday, 07.31, Jonny's car, Ring Road_

And it was only when they were on the ring road, and she had established that they were definitely NOT going to listen to the Status Quo CD Jonny had brought with him from home, finally settling on Radio 2 as being an acceptable listening choice for both of them, that she remembered about the text. So, with some difficulty she retrieved her phone from her pocket and looked at the display, and was relieved to see that the text wasn't from Elliott, or anyone else at the hospital, but was in fact from Jil. She opened it and read.

"**So how did it go? Free to talk? J xx"**

To which she replied, _"Not really. In car with Jonny – going to work. J xx"_

A few moments later, Jil's reply came through. **"Wow – you're late today!"** Before being swiftly followed up by, **"Oh, say no more – morning delight!"** with a smiley face after it

She giggled aloud at this, earning a curious look from Jonny, before replying with a couple of smiley faces of her own

"**So am assuming last night went well then?"** Jil texted back.

"_Your assumption = correct!"_

"**Details?"**

"_Practically perfect in every way! Survived Albie's! Lovely dinner, restaurant = really good chocolate brownie. And then…!"_

"**Oh, I'm so pleased – didn't I tell you it was a good idea?! Brilliant use of Mary Poppins reference btw."**

"_Yep – you were right about the top too, Jonny thought I looked stunning. Thanks, rather proud of it myself."_

"**That's what I said in the shop!"**

"_I know – that's what I told him. Thanks for making me buy it"_

"**My pleasure! I knew he wouldn't be able to resist you in it!"**

"What _are_ you doing?" Jonny interrupted Jac's text talk by asking. "You'll wear those buttons out if you're not careful"

"It's Jil," Jac explained, looking up from her phone "she's trying to find out how her fiendishly cunning plan worked out." Adding, as she noticed the look of incomprehension on Jonny's face. "Our date, stupid!"

"Oh right." Jonny replied, choosing, because he was in such a good mood, to ignore Jac's affectionate insult _for now, _"Say 'Hi' from me."

"_You were right about that too – although think he found me even more irresistible out of it! He says hello, btw."_

"**Jac really = t.m.i.! Say hi back from me"**

"Jil says 'Hi' back." Jac said to Jonny. "And," she said as she saw Jonny preparing to say something, "if you want to say anything else to her, you'll have to text her yourself – I'm not going to be your messaging service."

"Oh I just wanted to say thank you" Jonny said, "You know, because last night was her idea and everything."

"Well, suppose I could tell her that" Jac conceded. "I wouldn't want her thinking you were rude, after all."

"_T.M.I. – are you feeling OK? Normally you're all about the details! Jonny says 'Thanks' for the idea for the date."_

"**Tell him about it was my pleasure, and that I'm so glad it all worked out so well! I hope you're not saying that I'm prurient?!"**

"_Ooooh, good word! And no, wasn't suggesting that for one moment."_

"**Glad to hear it – would have been really hurt if you had been" **

"_Definitely NOT then, wouldn't want you being upset after everything you've done"_

"**Oh, that's so sweet – you must have had a great night if you're still being nice when you're running late. Very unlike you!"**

"_I know. Do you think I should be worried?"_

"**My professional opinion = not yet. If niceness persists throughout day = maybe!"**

"_OK – will see how I go and let you know."_

"**Great – look forward to it. Actually would be great to talk to you properly – maybe lunchtime, I've got an hour free from 12.30, so if you're around then give me a call. I've really got to get going to work myself now – 9am meeting in Beaconsfield that need to drive too."**

"_OK – not sure if will be free then, but will try. Drive carefully!"_

"**Of course – I always do! If not lunchtime then will phone you tonight – mobile or landline?"**

"_Not sure what doing yet, so mobile probably best. OK, will speak to you soon either way. Have a_ _good day."_

"**You too. Speak soon. Bye. J xxx"**

"_Bye. J xxx "_

_ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo_

3) Connie Shoes

_Tuesday, 07.46, Jonny's car, Ring Road_

And Jac, who couldn't be doing with the faff of trying to get her phone back into her pocket, instead just put it down in her lap. Her action didn't go unnoticed by Jonny who said "So you finished then?"

"Yep, Jil had to go to work, she's got some meeting she needs to get to." Jac answered.

"So does that mean you'll talk to me now then?" Jonny asked.

"Aw baby," Jac said, the sarcasm evident in her voice, "have you been feeling neglected? You poor thing!"

"Well it has been a bit boring with just Chris Evans for company – he may be ginger but he's not a patch on you."

"Oh, that's sweet….sort of….I think" Jac concluded. "But as for you being bored, well that's just tough!"

"Hey," Jonny said "that's not very nice!"

"No," Jac agreed, "it's not. But you do realise that because of you my feet are going to be hurting all day now."

"What?" Jonny said, so surprised by the tangent the conversation had taken that he took his eyes off the road to glance at her for a moment.

"Well, because you made us late we're not going to get a space near the hospital in the car park now, so I'm going to have to walk miles in these shoes." Jac replied, pointing down at her rather beautiful, but horribly impractical high-heeled shoes. "Honestly, it's so annoying Jil's right about these too!"

"How is it my fault that you're wearing those?" Jonny asked.

"Right, so you're telling me you'd prefer it if I wore my work trainers when we go out, rather than my Connie shoes?"

"I'd never really thought about it" Jonny answered truthfully, "and what's connie shoes when they're at home anyway."

"These," Jac said, lifting her foot to show him, "these are Connie shoes – look great, really hard to walk in."

"Well" Jonny conceded, after stealing another quick glance at her "you definitely look great in them, but I'm sure you'd look just as good in any other shoes too. And anyway," he continued, "it wasn't just me who made us late, was it?"

"It was you who took ten minutes to get to the car."

"It was _not_ ten minutes but, even if it had been, we were running late way before getting to the car came into it," Jonny objected. "And we both know why that was – I kept telling you we should get up, but you wouldn't let me."

"Oh yeah, cos you were_ really_ hard to persuade to stay in bed," Jac countered. "I practically had to tie you up to keep you there didn't I?"

"Now there's a thought!" Jonny said, smiling suggestively over at Jac.

"Honestly!" Jac exclaimed. "That's just typical of you – you've got a mind like a sewer."

"Hey, I wasn't the one who mentioned tying people up." Jonny countered, as they stopped at a traffic light. "Sitting there in your sexy shoes, looking so gorgeous – do you mind telling me how I'm meant not to have those kinds of thoughts about you?" he continued. Looking over at her and drinking the view in, noting that yet again she was blushing most fetchingly, and that she was desperately trying to keep a straight face. A battle she had lost until, as the lights turned to green and they turned off the ring road she saw the queue of traffic on the approach road to the hospital. At which point, her smile faded, and she turned to him and said, with an ever so slightly accusatory tone to her voice

"Oh Jonny, we are going to be sooo late now!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

4) How does that saying go?

_Tuesday, 08.06, Jonny's car, Holby City Hospital Staff Car Park (far end of)_

"See I told you" Jac said as Jonny parked the car "I knew we wouldn't get a space near the hospital arriving at this time."

"I could always carry you" Jonny offered, "that way you wouldn't need to walk so your feet wouldn't hurt."

"I'd rather walk barefoot across hot coals than let you carry me anywhere," Jac replied, "anyway you'd probably drop me before we were halfway up the car park."

"Hey I would not" Jonny said, "well only if you wriggled."

"I suppose I could always take my shoes off," Jac said, looking out the window at the ground by the car, "and then put them on again when I get close to the hospital."

"I've got an idea" Jonny said.

"Of course you have" Jac said sarcastically. "Let's hear it then – genius."

"Well, as whatever you do, your feet are going to hurt, and as I obviously won't be able to kiss you better when we're in the hospital, well not straight away anyway. I was wondering if I should offer you some pre-emptive, prospective healthcare."

"Right, so we're already running late and your solution to that is that we spend more time in your car kissing?" Jac said, a note of disbelief apparent in her voice.

"No you're right it was a stu.." Jonny began to say.

"Although, I suppose" Jac continued, seemingly thinking out loud, and ignoring Jonny's interruption. "We might as well be hung for a goose as a gander" and smiling turned to Jonny and leant in. Only to pull away just before he kissed her, saying. "No that's not right is it, goose for a gander?"

"What?" Jonny said, who after being wrong-footed by Jac's apparent willingness to kiss him, was now simply nonplussed by this reaction

"Sheep as a lamb!" Jac exclaimed.

"What?" Jonny asked again, now completely confused.

"We might as well be hung for _a sheep as a lamb_ – that's what the saying is." She said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Right, great – now that we've got that sorted do you think we could get back to the matter in hand?" Jonny asked, leaning towards her once again. Only to be disappointed again, when Jac once more, after coming tantalisingly close, moved away from him to ask

"But where do the goose and gander come into it then?"

"Who cares?" Jonny asked, exasperatedly. Suddenly realising how frustrating it must have been for Jac, on her return from Sweden, when he'd asked her to say something in Swedish, and then to translate it, before he'd let them finish what they'd already started.

"Fair point" Jac said before she finally got around to actually kissing him. And then, just as before, like always in fact, all other thoughts - of geese and ganders and Swedish translations - were banished from both their minds, as the kissing took over.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

5) Seven Minutes

_Tuesday, 13.20. Consultant's Office, Darwin._

Jac sank down into her chair, as she'd predicted her feet were killing her, the damage done to them by her walk into the hospital not being helped by the fact that she'd had a full theatre list that morning, and had been standing up for the best part of 4 hours without a break. She'd had to send Jonny on ahead of her in the end because she was acutely aware that whilst her hours of work were officially nine to five (although she didn't think she'd ever actually worked those) his shift was meant to start at eight, and by the time they'd managed to finally stop kissing it was already nearly twenty past. She'd finally arrived on the ward at a little bit after 8.30, and on seeing a stressed-looking Elliott said, "I know, I know - sorry. I'll be two minutes I just need to get changed and then I'll be there I promise." She'd gone in to the locker room just as Jonny was preparing to come out, so managed to steal one more short, but very sweet, kiss from him, before saying "And we're going to be doing a lot more of that this evening – my feet are shredded, so you've got an awful lot of kissing to do to make me feel better!" She considered taking her trainers off now, but didn't because she was worried that if she did she wouldn't get them on again. 'No' she figured 'I'll just have to wait till tonight and see if Jonny is as good as he says he is at foot massages." She looked at the sandwich she'd picked up from the canteen a few minutes earlier, it didn't look particularly appetising (there was never much choice when you got there after about 12) but she knew she'd have to eat it – her afternoon theatre list started in, she looked at her watch to check, just over half an hour, and she was really hungry. Maybe she'd go with the cereal bar first….Just then her phone buzzed, she took it out of her pocket and looked at the screen – a text from an unknown number. She opened her inbox – "Bloody PPI" she said, immediately deleting the text. However, it had at least reminded her about phoning Jil. She checked her watch again, twenty two minutes past – Jil had said she had an hour free from 12.30, that was nearly over but she decided to risk it anyway, knowing that Jil always had her phone on silent when she was at work. It only rang once before Jil picked up:

"**Hi Jac"**

"_Hey you – are you ok to talk? I know you said you were free after half twelve, but I've only just finished in theatre."_

"**Well I've got a client booked in at half one"**

"_Oh, right! Shall I call you later then?"_

"**No, no – well I mean yes, obviously I'll want to speak to you later as well, so I can get all the details but we've got time for the edited highlights now, haven't we? Well I mean if you have, that is?"**

"_Oh yeah – I'm fine, my afternoon list doesn't start till two."_

"**Brilliant! So from this morning I get the feeling that last night went OK?"**

"_Much better than OK – it was sooo nice!"_

"**And you even went through with going to Albie's. I am so proud of you! I have to be honest, I thought you'd change your mind"**

"I nearly did – about the whole thing, never mind Albie's. Ended up in the basement I was so nervous. But then that BFM kicked in, and just when I'd decided that I couldn't hide down there all night your text came through, and the rest, as they say, is history!"

"**And were there lots of people you knew there? At Albie's I mean." **

"_Enough, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be actually. Although we did make a hasty exit when Michael came in – I didn't want a scene, and I could see him making one. Luckily Annalese phoned him at just the right moment – thank goodness for messy divorces, that's all I can say."_

"**Jac!"**

"_Well, you know what I mean"_

"**Yes I do, but you shouldn't joke about things like that."**

"_Who said I was joking?"_

"**Jac!"**

"_Alright, alright – you know I didn't mean it, well not really. Although I am grateful to her – Annalese, I mean – she couldn't have timed that phone call better if I'd paid her, and you know how Michael can be when he's got the bit between his teeth."_

"**Mmm, well from what you've told me he certainly does sound like he's got a great line in cutting remarks. But I'm sure you'd have been able to give as good as you got, and I bet Jonny's no pushover either. Well he can't be if he's managed to play insult ping-pong with you for all this time, can he?"**

"_Yes but I didn't want a scene – we caused more than enough of a stir when we turned up together, I didn't want to give everybody even more to gossip about."_

"**Mmm, ok, fair enough. I wouldn't have wanted it to put a dampner on things either – it'd have been a shame for something like that to take the shine off the evening. So where did you go after you escaped from Albie's?"**

"_Ah well, when Jonny said yes I booked a table at this restaurant, Roma. which isn't far from his flat. We kept saying we should go so I thought last night was the perfect opportunity."_

"**And was it nice."**

"_Oh yeah - it was lovely. The chocolate brownie was delicious – you'd have loved it. And they had a really good selection of mains and starters too."_

"**And I suppose you did your usual trick of having a starter as your main?"**

"_Well, I had to leave room for pudding didn't I? And we ordered a sharing starter too, and I had some of that as well"_

"**Ok, I'll let you off then. So the food was good then, but what about everything else?"**

"_Oh Jil, it was lovely – I haven't had such a good evening in….in ages."_

"**Aww, Jac."**

"_It's weird though, cos all we did was talk, well at the restaurant anyway. Oh, and I had no idea you'd told him so much about me on Friday."_

"**Hey, what can I say – I could talk about your amazingness all day. Believe me, there was more I didn't tell him than I did."**

"_Oh, that's so nice"_

"**Ooh that reminds me – do you need to be worried? Did your niceness last?"**

"_Erm, sort of."_

"**Right – what does that mean?"**

"_Well, I haven't actually shouted at anyone this morning, but I might have been a teensy bit sarcastic with Oli. Although, in my defence he did ask for it really – making a snide remark about my time-keeping, when I wasn't actually late, and my feet were killing me too, which probably didn't help."_

"**Connie shoes?!"**

"_Erm yep – that and a 4 mile trek from the car park this morning because we were sooo late there were no spaces close to the hospital."_

"**How many times have I told you about them?."**

"_I know, I know, but even you have to admit they do look good."_

"**Mmm, I suppose so, but I'm not sure that makes up for the pain. I tell you, I am so much a 'comfort comes first' kind of girl these days it's untrue. The thought of having to wear high heels now – uhhh, sounds like torture. Are they better now?"**

"_Well they don't feel like they're on fire anymore, but I have to be honest I'm not really looking forward to standing up for the next 3 hours or so doing my list. I just hope nothing goes wrong with any of the op's, don't think my feet will stand it."_

"**Oh poor you, I'll keep my fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly."**

"_Oh thanks. But if all else fails Jonny assures me he's got magic fingers."_

"**I bet he does!"**

"_Not like that – honestly, it seems like he's not the only one with a mind like a sewer! No he reckons he does killer foot massages, so I'm going to test that assertion tonight."_

"**Oh, so you're spending another evening with him then?"**

"_Yep – we're going to have a night in, he's cooking."_

"**Ah Jac that's brilliant – a man who can cook – perfect!"**

"_Hey, I didn't say he can cook, I said he was cooking – he could be thinking of beans on toast for all I know."_

"**Nothing wrong with that – beans on toast is a very nutritious meal, but actually he struck me as someone who would be able to cook well. I don't know why, but I definitely reckon he knows his courgettes from his cucumbers.**

"_Yeah, well I hope so – reckon I'm going to be starving by the time I've finished here. Honestly, I've got the most uninspiring sandwich to eat for lunch, and I stupidly went for a cereal bar and an apple rather than chocolate, so I really hope he can cook."_

"**Oh Jac, how many times do I have to tell you? You should always go for chocolate, always! Especially cos I bet you're going to need all the energy you can get"**

"_What? Why?" _

"**Well, you've got a full theatre list to get through this afternoon..**

"_Oh yeah, right."_

"**And not only that but, now how can I put this?…..Oh yes, let's just say I don't think your feet will be the only things Jonny's 'magic fingers' are touching tonight, and you can never have enough energy for that."**

"_Jil!"_

"**Oh come on Jac – it must have been good if it made you late for work. And I know you and good things – you can't get enough of them."**

"_Jil – really!"_

"**Which, is an attitude I heartily support – who doesn't want a bit of morning delight if they can get it? Or afternoon, or evening delight come to think of it."**

"_Right, that's quite enough of that. Although…maybe a chocolate bar isn't such a bad idea – to help me get through my list this afternoon, you understand."_

"**Obviously, and well, if there's energy left over for other more delightful things than so much the better, right?"**

"_Mmm, I suppose so."_

"**You suppose so?"**

"_Oh OK then – definitely. It will definitely be better if I have some energy to spare after work to do more delightful things with. Happy now?"_

"**Delirious! So can I take it from that that it was?"**

"_Was what?"_

"**Delightful?"**

"Oh for god's sake. Yes, yes it was, OK. And that's all I'm going to say on the matter, I know I said you weren't being prurient earlier, but I'm really not sure now."

"**Ok, ok – I get the message. You don't want to talk about the delights that you and Jonny get up to." **

"_Exactly! And the fact that they are the most delightful delights I've ever experienced doesn't change that either!"_

"**Aw Jac, really?"**

"_Yep – most definitely. Last night it was just, I don't know…like everything was right, you know. And then this morning, it was just the same."_

"**Oh Jac – I'm so pleased. Seems like you've found yourself a keeper there!"**

"_Yep, I think I might have."_

"**Oh that's brilliant – you'll have to bring him down to stay. If you let me know when you're both free I'll try and sort someth…"** Jil was interrupted by the sound of a phone ringing and said **"Oh, hold on a minute Jac"** and put her mobile down. Jac couldn't make out what was being said but it wasn't long before Jil came back on the line.** "Sorry Jac, I'm going to have to go, my half one's just arrived."**

"_Oh ok, I'll phone you tonight then"_

"**Yeah, that would be great – any time before 10 is fine with me. But only if you're not too busy doing other things."**

"_Well, Jonny's got to cook so, assuming it's not beans on toast he's thinking of, there should be at least a bit of time when I can call you. We've got to eat after all – keep our energy levels up for those other things."_

"**Ok – speak to you soon then. Bye"**

"_Yeah, bye."_

And Jac was smiling as she put her phone down, and knew that Jil would be too. And even the sight of her uninspiring sandwich couldn't dampen her mood after all she was going to have a chocolate bar as well, which would no doubt make up for any shortcomings in the sandwich department of her lunch. The only question remaining was which one she would go for – a Mars bar might be nice but then again, could you really beat the simplicity of a Cadbury's Dairy Milk? She'd have to think about that whilst she ate the rest of her lunch she supposed. Before realising that there was another question that would need to be answered – which of her minions would she send to get the chocolate? Hmm, that would need some careful thought too…..

* * *

**So there it is, the actual final chapter of this story (I've even changed the status to complete). As ever, please review – I really do love to know what everyone thinks. Also, hope to get another chapter of my next story 'Broken Hearted' posted in the next few days.**


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